A few nights ago, on 7.30 Queensland, the ABC aired a segment on FGM in Australia.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-10-04/women-join-campaign-to-end-a-brutal-cultural/5790772

I disagree with some of the comments made, particularly those of Family Planning, Queensland.

Quote "ALYSE EDWARDS: Odette Tewfik has been working for family planning Queensland for 13 years and says local women are continuing the practice on their daughters.

ODETTE TEWFIK, FAMILY PLANNING QLD: Two three families send a ticket to one of the elders and get her to have it done here or another case like they take the child on their holiday and have it done back in their country. It is an act of love because they believe that it's the only way to find a husband.

ALYSE EDWARDS: Health workers say even in cases where they know a child is at risk it's difficult to do anything if a mother denies it.

ODETTE TEWFIK: We will keep an eye one year, two years but if she's planning to do it we cannot do anything about it.

ALYSE EDWARDS: 730 Qld contacted the State Government and police for statistics on female genital mutilation. But found there's no specific data available. A spokeswoman for the Department of Child Safety said while she takes the issue seriously it is a matter for the police. Police haven't prosecuted a case in Queensland. They say finding enough evidence to do so is extremely difficult, but encourage anyone with any information to come forward".

It is an absolute disgrace that no prosecutions have been done in Aus and this worker can admit on TV that women are having their daughters abused in this way. The simple fact is that the politicians and the bureaucrats are more concerned about cultural customs than they are about the welfare of little Aussie girls.

In NSW there is one pending case which keeps getting adjourned and may be heard next year. The is also one case of underage marriage which may get a hearing next year also.

The simple facts are that the state authorities are turning a blind eye and not applying the laws.

Banyo, one persons interpretation of abuse, is another's interpretation of following a custom? Who's right!

Butch,
Are you playing 'devils advocate', I thought you were more knowledgeable and practical to ask that question. Foot binding and honour killing are also customs, so are they abuse? Yeah FGM is abuse no matter how you look at it.

The point of the FGM article on the ABC was that a group of women are advocating against FGM. Well there is an election in 6 months so they have an opportunity to back the mob that say they will stop FGM in Qld.

Now what can be done?

Firstly identify the 'at risk' girls (daughters of those women that have had FGM). Then carry out say annual medical checks on those girls and, if found to have been victims, prosecute the parents and impose serious penalties. This is basically the method used in France where the incidence has been greatly reduced. France also has laws that allow for medical evidence alone to convict parents.

Currently the estimate is that in Aus 3 girls a day are at risk of FGM. We should not allow this ongoing pain and suffering or carry the cost burden of FGM by our society.

The formula to stop FGM in Aus is not rocket science. We simply have to enforce the current laws.

Perhaps Suseonline could give us the benefit of her midwifery knowledge and experience on FGM and any effects that it has on ease or otherwise of delivery.

Dear Banjo,

Yes, FGM is abuse no matter how you look at it.
(and so is MGM)

As individuals we should be disgusted and not befriend or have any dealings with people who do it.

But we can't do without some philosophical framework to justify the right of the state to interfere in internal family affairs.

If for example a parent ever asks for any benefit from the state (including welfare, health-care, child-care, incorporation, employment in the public sector or police and judicial protection against the actions of others), that is the time when the state may legitimately tell them: "OK, we are willing to help, but there are conditions and one of them is NO FGM".

Another circumstance which allows the state to interfere, is when either parent or the daughter herself, of any age, asks for the state's protection (which she could even do by making a phone call or visiting a police-station).

If any of the above occurred, then as you say, punishment for FGM should be severe.

If however, none of the above occurred, if the family never asked anything of the state, nor any of its members, then the state has no right to impose its norms on that family.

This may seem pedantic, but nothing short of that can prevent a slippery slope ending in gross violations of individual and religious freedoms.