A woman has been sentenced to seven years in prison after being convicted of facilitating female genital mutilation (FGM) for a three-year-old British girl while on a trip to Kenya.
Amina Noor, age 40, was found guilty in the previous year for aiding a Kenyan woman in undergoing the procedure abroad in 2006. This was the initial conviction for aiding in such harm under the Female Genital Mutilation Act of 2003.
On Friday at the Old Bailey, Mr Justice Bryan sentenced Noor to seven years in prison and referred to the crime as “truly horrific and abhorrent.”
FGM is the abbreviation for female genital mutilation, which refers to the removal of some or all of the external female genitalia. This practice is widely recognized as a violation of the rights of women and girls. In 2012, the United Nations adopted a resolution to outlaw FGM, however it continues to be practiced in approximately 30 countries.
In 2006, at the age of 22, Noor traveled from Harrow, located in northwest London, to Kenya with a toddler. The child was then brought to a private residence and underwent female genital mutilation (FGM).
Years after the incident, the crime was brought to attention when the victim, who was 16 at the time, shared her experience with her English teacher at school. The judge expressed his hope that her courage would inspire others to speak up and report similar incidents. The victim, who is now 21, cannot be named due to legal restrictions.
In 2019, a woman from Uganda living in Walthamstow, east London, was sentenced to 11 years in prison for violating the 2003 act by cutting a three-year-old girl. This was the only other instance of a successful prosecution under the act.
During the court proceedings, the defendant claimed that she believed the procedure was simply an injection and that the girl appeared content and physically active afterwards. However, a subsequent examination in 2019 revealed that the girl’s clitoris had been surgically removed.
Based on an initial report, Noor stated that she accompanied another female to a “clinic” where the girl was taken into a room for a procedure. The accused claimed that she was invited to join but declined due to fear and concern. According to the report, the girl cried all night and reported feeling pain afterwards.
During the trial, the jury was informed that the accused was originally from Somalia but relocated to Kenya at the age of eight due to the civil war in her home country. She arrived in the UK at the age of 16 and eventually obtained British citizenship.
During her trial, Noor testified that she was coerced into participating in FGM by being threatened with social consequences such as being “cursed” and “disowned” by her community. However, in a subsequent police interview, Noor denied receiving any threats prior to the incident.
Faty Kane, a senior adviser for girls’ rights at ActionAid UK, expressed approval for the sentencing on Friday. She stated that it is upsetting to hear about any young girl experiencing such violence, especially a three-year-old.
“In the places where we operate, such as Kenya, we have witnessed the significant physical, psychological, and social effects that FGM/C can have on females for the remainder of their lives. We can only trust that the current ruling not only brings justice for the survivor, but also aids in her ability to manage the trauma and anguish it has inflicted upon her,” stated Kane.
Source: theguardian.com
