Excerpt:
Police in the Bristol area are investigating more allegations of female genital mutilation (FGM) every year.
Practised by ethnic groups with certain patriarchal traditions, FGM involves removing or injuring genital organs for non-medical reasons.
Usually performed on girls, the dangers of this can include severe bleeding, infections, infertility and complications in childbirth. The practice, which is commonplace in many African and some middle-Eastern countries, has been illegal since 1985 but there is still yet to be a conviction in the UK.