Criminal Offence: FGM has been a criminal offence in the UK since 1985. The current legislation, primarily the Female Genital Mutilation Act 2003 (as amended by the Serious Crime Act 2015), makes it illegal to excise, infibulate, or otherwise mutilate female genitalia for non-medical reasons.
Penalties:
Performing FGM or helping it to take place carries a maximum penalty of 14 years in prison.
Failing to protect a girl under 16 from the risk of FGM (for those with parental responsibility) carries a maximum penalty of 7 years in prison.
Breaching an FGM Protection Order (a civil order to protect a potential victim) carries a maximum penalty of 5 years in prison.
Extra-territoriality: It is a crime to take a British national or permanent UK resident abroad for FGM, even if the procedure is legal in that country. This law extends protection to UK nationals or residents regardless of where in the world the act takes place.
Mandatory Reporting: In England and Wales, regulated professionals (including doctors, nurses, social workers, and teachers) have a legal duty to report