The horrors of FGM

An important part of effective safeguarding in your dental practice is making sure that all staff have a good knowledge of the signs of abuse, and how to notice when someone is a victim. The only way to ensure your staff is able to do this well is by providing them with certifiable training and then building on this knowledge at least annually. While there is no single definable profile of the abused child, it is true that some children are more vulnerable to certain types of abuse or neglect than others. Female genital mutilation (often abbreviated to FGM) is a form of abuse that affects an estimated 137,000 women and girls in England and Wales. The summer period is a popular time for FGM to occur, as the school holidays present families with the opportunity to send their young female relatives abroad to undergo the abuse.