GRAPHIC CONTENT: South Yorkshire Police share upsetting video of victim of female genital mutilation

The footage was shared to mark International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation.

In the video, victim Hibo Wardere details how she was subjected to FGM when she was six.

The practise of FGM involves the removal of part or all of the external female genitalia, or any procedure that involves injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons.

Suzanne Jackson, of South Yorkshire Police, said Hibo’s ‘distressing testimony’ is important viewing to raise awareness of the crime.

“This video is hard-hitting and will be difficult viewing for many of us, but it is vitally important that we continue to raise awareness of this barbaric form of child abuse,” she added.

“FGM is a serious and violent crime, which has significant and long-lasting effects on its victims – as Hibo’s experiences show. She explains how she continues to have flashbacks about what happened to her, highlighting the lifetime of both physical and psychological trauma victims of FGM suffer.”

It is illegal for FGM to be performed in the UK, for a UK resident to perform it outside the UK or to help and enable someone else to carry it out.

Suzanne added: “This law exists to protect women and girls from serious harm and abuse.

“While we know FGM happens abroad, it is also happening here in the UK and we believe it remains an under-reported crime.

“This is especially so during the current pandemic, where many people have been at home for prolonged periods of time with potentially very little contact or interaction with others. This could mean that victims of FGM are finding it harder to tell someone what’s happening, or for others to notice the warning signs.

“Hibo’s story is upsetting but educational – it is important that we all educate ourselves and our children to recognise potential warning signs of FGM within our communities. There may be children at risk of FGM who are scared to talk to anyone about it, because the crime still carries a degree of taboo.

“We must break this taboo and have this difficult discussion, if we are to prevent perpetrators of this crime harming any more women and girls.”