We are committed to ending all forms of forced non-therapeutic genital cutting.
This includes female genital mutilation (FGM) and ritual circumcision of boys.
A child's right to bodily autonomy must not be overridden by other people's religious or cultural beliefs.
The National Secular Society supports a person's most fundamental right to grow up with an intact body and to make their own choices about permanent bodily modifications.
All forms of forced cutting on children's genitals breach basic child rights and safeguarding guidance.
Several communities have genital cutting traditions, often rooted in religious beliefs. But children, and particularly babies and young infants, are incapable of giving consent to such medically unnecessary, harmful, painful and permanent procedures.
Sometimes health benefits for non-therapeutic genital cutting are claimed despite the evidence to the contrary. All forms of forced genital cutting risk serious emotional, sexual, and physical harm – including death.
Child safeguarding must always be prioritised above the desire of adults to express their belief through forced cutting of children's genitals.
Female genital mutilation (FGM)
"It is irrelevant whether or not a person believed the operation to be necessary in the child's best interests as a matter of custom or ritual."
We are committed to the eradication of forced genital cutting of girls and women known as Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) in all its forms.
There are thought to be well over 100,000 women and girls affected by FGM living in the UK. We work with like-minded organisations to protect girls from the harm of forced genital cutting.
FGM practices vary. Some forms involve a pinprick or the removal of a small amount of tissue from the clitoris. Other forms include complete removal of the clitoris and labia, and stitching the vulva closed. Communities which practice FGM often cite religion as a motivation.
All forms of FGM are child abuse and are rightly illegal in the UK. But some British girls are still unprotected. Some have been sent abroad to undergo the procedure and others are having it performed secretly in this country.
There has been only one successful prosecution for FGM since it was banned in 1985. We are concerned that fear of upsetting cultural and religious sensitivities is preventing authorities from tackling FGM effectively.
"...a right specifically for African families who want to carry on their tradition whilst living in this country"
As with all forms of forced genital cutting, those who speak out against FGM are often accused of disrespecting their parents or cultural heritage, and of over-dramatising a 'minor' procedure that others 'don't complain about'. Together with the perceived humiliation of speaking about one's own genitals, these factors combine to ensure that many sufferers are reluctant to speak out.
Ending FGM requires sustained civil society action to change attitudes and inform girls of their rights.
Male circumcision
While all forms of FGM are rightfully banned, non-therapeutic circumcision of boys is permitted in UK law.
The foreskin is a normal body part with physical, sexual and immunological functions. Removing it from non-consenting children has been associated with various physical and psychological difficulties. These are likely to be greatly under-reported because people who have experienced sexual harm are often reluctant to reveal it as societal dismissal or stigmatisation may compound the harm.
Circumcision is excruciatingly painful. When performed on babies, little to no anaesthesia is used. Even when performed under anaesthesia on older children, the recovery entails weeks of pain and discomfort.
The procedure is also dangerous. Between 1988 and 2014, there were 22,000 harms recorded by the NHS resulting circumcision. They included scarring and full penis amputation. In 2011, nearly a dozen infant boys were treated for life-threatening haemorrhage, shock or sepsis as a result of non-therapeutic circumcision at a single children's hospital in Birmingham. In 2007, a newborn baby went into cardiac arrest minutes after he was circumcised in a London synagogue, and subsequently died.
Any claims of marginal health benefits of circumcision are extremely contested. No national medical, paediatric, surgical or urological society recommends routine circumcision of all boys as a health intervention. There is now growing concern among doctors that existing ethical principles of non-therapeutic childhood surgery should no longer include an exception for non-therapeutic circumcision.
62% of Brits would support a law prohibiting the circumcision of children for non-medical reasons. Only 13% would oppose it.
There is very limited regulation of non-therapeutic circumcision in the UK. We do not know how many such procedures are performed annually or the degree of harm, as there is no requirement for any follow up or audit and the boys themselves are too young to complain.
It is now being recognised more widely that non-therapeutic religious and cultural circumcision is a breach of children's rights. We want to see the same protections for girls' bodily autonomy extended to boys.
Take action!
1. Write to your MP
Ask your MP to support an end to non-consensual religious genital cutting
2. Share your story
Tell us why you support this campaign, and how you are personally affected by the issue. You can also let us know if you would like assistance with a particular issue.
3. Join the National Secular Society
Become a member of the National Secular Society today! Together, we can separate religion and state for greater freedom and fairness.
Latest updates
Man arrested over alleged circumcision assaults
Posted: Mon, 9 Jul 2018 14:57
Police in Oxfordshire are appealing for information regarding a man arrested on suspicion of physically assaulting boys in connection to circumcision.
Mohammad Siddiqui, 52, was arrested on July 3 on suspicion of causing grievous bodily harm to boys who were circumcised in their own homes in Banbury in Oxfordshire and Bristol.
Siddiqui has since been released from custody but remains under investigation.
Hampshire Constabulary are leading the joint investigation with Thames Valley Police into the alleged assaults.
Detectives have called for any parents or guardians of boys circumcised, or healthcare workers who have concerns about procedures or aftercare to come forward.
DCI Fiona Bitters of Hampshire police, said: "This is a large investigation and we are already speaking to a number of people in relation to these allegations, however we would like to speak to anyone who may have information that can help us with our investigation or is concerned about a procedure which has taken place privately since 2015.
"We are asking parents or guardians of boys circumcised, or healthcare workers, who have concerns about the procedure, the aftercare provided, or the recovery to come forward.
"We are not investigating the practice of circumcision. We are investigating if any criminality took place relating to an individual's actions when undertaking this procedure or the aftercare provided."
An address in Birmingham has been searched as part of the investigation.
It is unclear from reports if Siddiqui is the same individual as a doctor of the same name who was struck off in 2015 for performing "botched and unhygienic" circumcisions on four babies in Southampton, Bath, Birmingham and Reading.
NHS paediatrician Dr Mohammed Siddiqui performed the non-therapeutic ritual circumcisions during a period spanning June 2012 to November 2013.
Siddiqui, who worked at University Hospital Southampton, carried out the operations in the parents' homes as an additional source of income outside the NHS.
Parents claimed Siddiqui did not wash his hands prior to the procedures, did not wear surgical gloves, failed to carry out proper examinations and did not have proper resuscitation equipment. He carried surgical materials in plastic carrier bags and used baby wipes during the procedures.
One baby suffered a seizure in response to a local anaesthetic but Siddiqui failed to act immediately and call an ambulance. The baby suffered two further seizures in hospital.
The parents of a second baby said Siddiqui accused them of "telling lies" when they phoned him because their baby was still in pain.
In a third incident, a baby began screaming in agony when the anaesthetic wore off half way through the procedure, but Siddiqui carried on, saying: "I didn't need to stop because the child was already crying."
He botched a circumcision on a fourth boy to such a degree that he had to carry out corrective surgery on the same child the following day.
An investigation by the General Medical Council revealed that Siddiqui had failed to secure valid insurance for each procedure and failed to register his circumcision service with the Care Quality Commission.
Following a three-week hearing at the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service in Manchester, 69 separate allegations against Siddiqui were found proved and he was branded a risk to patients.
Panel Chairman John Donnelly said: ''His misconduct was both a particularly serious departure and reckless disregard of good medical practise and patient safety. Some of his behaviour as previously identified, involved breaches of very basic mandatory medical principles."
Siddiqui was suspended from University Hospital Southampton and subsequently resigned from the NHS. He continued to practice his private circumcision service.
In 2013 Consultant surgeon Feilim Murphy, secretary of the British Association of Paediatric Urologists, told BBC Radio 5live Investigates: "The biggest issue is there are a number of children who are circumcised by people who are not experienced and don't understand what is required, and there can be significant complications with that."
He added: "Unfortunately children have died in the last number of years in Britain and Ireland from circumcision-related complications."
The practice of circumcision came under the spotlight earlier this year when Icelandic lawmakers proposed a bill to prohibit circumcision without consent, calling it a violation of children's human rights.
The National Secular Society has long been committed to ending all forms of forced genital cutting.
Dr Antony Lempert of the NSS's Secular Medical Forum, commented:
"The situation in the UK is perverse. Ritual circumcision when performed by a registered doctor must be performed to the same high standards expected of all doctors. However, lay circumcisers are not held to the same standards which defies explanation considering the known dangers and the obvious risk of surgery performed outside a clinical environment with no medical supervision or aftercare.
"There is every reason to expect all surgery to be performed in registered surgical premises by healthcare professionals for a clear medical benefit or with the consent of the person whose body it is. By these standards it is clear that not only Mohammad Siddiqui but all lay circumcisers should no longer be allowed to operate. Instead all children must be protected from the surgical assignation on their genitals of their parents' beliefs whoever is performing the surgery."
Anyone with information on the current investigation led by Hampshire Constabulary can report using the HOLMES National Police Portal https://mipp.police.uk/operation/826 . If this is not possible you can call 101 and ask for Hampshire Constabulary quoting Operation Jetson. Alternatively you can call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
NSS criticises EU leaders’ unqualified backing for religious rituals
Posted: Tue, 29 May 2018 18:03
The National Secular Society has criticised two senior EU politicians after they said they would oppose restrictions on rituals such as genital cutting and religious animal slaughter.
According to Arutz Sheva, the president of the European Parliament Antonio Tajani called for the preservation of "the religious identity of Europe's citizens" during a speech at a synagogue in Brussels last week.
At the same event Frans Timmermans, the first vice-president of the European Commission, said the commission would "not tolerate" legislation which would limit kosher slaughter or circumcision.
Tajani said the European Parliament had "brought discussion of religion back to the political discourse" and would "protect religious freedom".
"Europe will not achieve integration and unity among its citizens as long as it limits or bans the religious community from fulfilling its religious commandments, such as circumcision and kosher slaughter.
"Only by protecting their rights and preserving their identities will every citizen have personal security, with the unity and equality which lead to tranquil lives. This is what Europe is based on."
Timmermans said the commission was "more determined than ever to fight for the undisturbed continuation of Jewish tradition in Europe".
"We cannot act indifferently towards the leaders and commandments of religion.
"I ask you again to inform us of any information from your communities on the subject of systematic verbal incitement in European Union member countries. We will not tolerate any legislation or legal initiatives against religious laws, including kosher slaughter and circumcision, which would limit the religious rights of Europe's citizens."
Both men were awarded prizes for making a "unique contribution to the protection of religious rights, and their consistent and determined fight against anti-Semitism" at the event. Both made reference to the Holocaust during their speeches.
NSS spokesperson Chris Sloggett said the comments "appear to suggest religious freedom should be an unqualified right which belongs only to some".
"If laws are to achieve their stated aims they must apply to all citizens in the relevant jurisdictions. Giving special exemptions to the most assertive within religious communities is often the path of least resistance but it undermines legitimate efforts to protect human – and animal – rights.
"It's particularly alarming that speeches which focused on the horror of anti-Semitism and the Holocaust should stray into this kind of territory. It's not only utterly erroneous to conflate those who argue that children deserve bodily integrity or animals should be treated humanely with those who have persecuted Jewish people for centuries. It actively undermines efforts to tackle anti-Semitism."
The NSS campaigns for a gender-neutral age of consent for non-therapeutic genital cutting. In recent months we've called on the government to follow the lead of lawmakers in Iceland who proposed a law along these lines.
We also campaign for an end to the religious exemption from animal welfare laws that allows for animals to be slaughtered without prior stunning in the UK. Last year we welcomed a move in Belgium's Walloon region to ban non-stun slaughter of animals.
Image of Antonio Tajani: © European People's Party, via Flickr [CC BY 2.0]
Image of Frans Timmermans: © Ministerie van Buitenlandse Zaken, via Wikimedia Commons [CC BY-SA 2.0]
