March calls for an end to female circumcision
ALMOST 30 women marched through Easton waving a banner and chanting for an end to female genital mutilation.
The women from the city's ethnic minority communities were trying to spread the message that so-called circumcision should not be carried out on girls.
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It is believed that about 2,000 girls in Bristol alone are at risk of circumcision and about six cases a year are referred to social services by concerned teachers or nurses who fear youngsters could be at risk.
Female genital mutilation (FGM) is a cultural practice carried out in more than 28 African countries, particularly Somalia, Egypt and Sudan, plus some in Asia and South America, where part or all of the genitalia is removed from girls.
It is illegal and people who are found to be involved face up to 14 years in prison.
Women who are circumcised can suffer kidney problems and urinary infections, complications in childbirth and chronic pain along with the risk of death from bleeding or contracting diseases such as HIV and hepatitis when it is carried out.
Women from affected communities have attended courses on the issue staged a march yesterday from Muller Hall in Seymour Road to the Trinity Centre in Old Market, where an event was held to mark the work that is being done to educate people about the risks of the practice.
They decorated their own sashes, which they wore for the march as they chanted "no FGM".
Among those who walked along Stapleton Road were women who had been forced to be circumcised when they were younger but are determined to change attitudes so future generations of girls are not mutilated.
One woman, who did not wish to be named, told the Evening Post: "It is too late to go back for us but we want our daughters to know that they do not have to go through the same."
NHS Bristol, the city council and Avon and Somerset Police are working with communities to raise awareness about the legal implications of the practice.
A new poster and leaflet campaign has also been started in the city to inform people that FGM is abuse and that people should not treat it as an accepted custom.
The campaign is being backed by the Bristol Safeguarding Children Board.
Chairman Dr Ray Jones, professor of social work at Kingston University said: "There are many myths around the practice but there is no religious text that supports or promotes any form of FGM.
"I hope that this campaign will go some way to highlight the criminal nature of the practice and increase the confidence of girls and women to come forward with any concerns for themselves or family members."
He said that the issue was not just about women but also the men within communities who might wish women to have FGM.
Layla Ismail, a Bristol community worker from Forward, a campaign against FGM, said that with her own daughters she did not know whether her friends were having their girls circumcised or not.
She said: "It was a very sensitive topic to talk about.
"But walking along Stapleton Road was something I have never seen before. I would like to thank everyone who came along. It shows the commitment to stand up for themselves.
"It is our community leading the campaign."
Jackie Mathers of NHS Bristol, the designated nurse for safeguarding children has been working with women from ethnic communities.
She said that when she did her nursing training there was no mention of FGM and she believes it is important for nurses to have an understanding of the implications.
Ms Mathers also told the women gathered at the Trinity Centre: "Your voice is really valuable to help with services. We have to protect young people and need your support to say no and help us eradicate this."
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by Shonegar, Bristol By The Sea
Friday, June 18 2010, 1:10PM
“Can we march against male circumcision?
Also in the interest of equality can we make male circumcision (a medically questionable procedure in most cases which we would save money not doing) if not medically essential a crime and punishable by up to 14 years jail time?
One could agrue that like female circumcision, male circumcision as currently practiced is a form of abuse and mutilation which is not promoted in religious text.
Circumcision on any gender is abhorrent and should be stopped.”
by Netta, Bristol
Friday, June 18 2010, 10:40AM
“Well I hope ConDemNation will be tougher on people who claim benefits, immigration and people who abuse other, but we shall see . . let's make Britain less appealing and get more Britons back into work, I just hope we don't miss the immigrants and the nurses that have helped me back to health and no doubt people you know and care about. As for the point about traffic wardens. Seeing as people want to park where they want we need traffic wardens, not many Brits want to do it as they can't take the abuse, but I did see 2 Brits doing it the other day, so may be there is hope!”
by Conchita, Union
Friday, June 18 2010, 10:34AM
“Steven, I agree with you, it's the same Brits/Spanish who make no effort to learn the language, eat fried eggs and chips every morning, shout abuse, fly the English flag, still get their benefits, build English communities, make no attempt to intergrate, yet want to live in Spain . . why don't tthey abide with the rules of the land?”
by Jamie E, Stokes Croft
Friday, June 18 2010, 10:10AM
“Netta, nobody is suggesting that *all* Africans are a burden, it would clearly be wrong.
But let's not use the example of many a traffic warden, security guard or healthcare worker to distract us from the the levels of immigration and colonialisation that no African country would carry without protest.
Self starting, skilled and hard working people will always be welcome. Welfare parasites and asylum shoppers are not. The same moral rules and standards apply in every other country, not just in Bristol. It's time for us to start discussing how we can help these people return home.”
by Steven, Bristol
Friday, June 18 2010, 9:50AM
“Chris, you are clearly an ignorant, hypocritcal fool...
Most immigrants in this country contribute (financially) to our country, and they go much further out of their way to integrate (culturally and socially) to British way of life.....
The British ex-pats are (mostly) a bunch of fat, Sun reading, English breakfast eating, lobster skinned, non-integtrated, non spanish speaking louts.”
by Netta, Fishponds
Friday, June 18 2010, 9:23AM
“Jamie, can I suggest you get out more, I've met plenty of hard working Africans, mostly in the health sector, they take the shifts us Brits don't want, they work the long hours, get treated like rubbish. Not fair to tarnish all Africans is it? I mean if you were made redundant from your job, but a job came up as a cleaner, would you take it tomake money for yourself or go on benefits?”
by Seb, Clifton
Friday, June 18 2010, 9:22AM
“We are forced to take the burden of lazy good for nothings here, I'd rather help and educate people who don't ask to be abused, who want a better life, born here or not. Lets also tops Brits having lots of kids too. This should not go on SERIOUSLY.”
by Betty, Bristol
Friday, June 18 2010, 9:14AM
“What did this Rabi say? they removed the comment”
by What the hell, Bristol
Thursday, June 17 2010, 8:47PM
“We need more prisons and deporting offices so we can fast track the very people who support this sick idea !”
by Chris, Stoke Bishop/downs
Thursday, June 17 2010, 5:44PM
“@ Steven
A vacuous post but I will respond :
- British nationals are EU citizens and have the automatic right to live in any EU country
-British nationals in Spain do not sponge off of the Spanish state and do not claim benefits or housing
- neither do they import obnoxious cultural or religious practices alien to a western democracy
- they generate a lot of income for the Spanish and help support local economies wherever they live
-the Spanish have made a fortune from building housing for expats
And finally the Spanish would be much worse off for seeing British expatriates leave and return home........we , however , cannot say the same about our '' incomers ''. And before you point out the cultural importation of our Friday night '' lager culture '' the Spanish do not want to see the end of that either....its the mainstay of their 6 month tourist season.......
Any more ill-thought out comments ?”