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Training failure leaves 23,000 at risk of female genital mutilation

With 23,000 girls aged 15 and under at risk of female genital mutilation, the NSPCC is calling for more training so that teachers can spot the warning signs.

Despite being expected to play a key role in identifying girls at risk of female genital mutilation (FGM), four in five teachers have had no training whatsoever.

The NSPCC has warned that girls aged anywhere from four to 15 are at risk but is worried that teachers are not equipped to deal with this specific kind of child abuse. YouGov research involving 1,000 teachers found that 83 per cent had not had child protection training about girls at risk.

FGM is defined by the World Health Organisation as “all procedures that involve partial or total removal of the external female genitalia, or other injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons”.

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