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“Councils are determined to help stamp out FGM from our local communities, and work alongside police, the NHS and charities to make sure we do all we can to protect women and girls from this horrific form of abuse. “We are pleased the Government has launched this campaign to raise awareness of FGM, which we urge to make use of the invaluable work of the National FGM Centre - a specialist resource that can work in communities across the country - to prevent FGM by working with families and communities to safeguard against this ‘hidden crime’ which can leave victims physically and mentally

Cllr Simon Blackburn, Chair of the Safer and Stronger Communities Board at the LGA, which runs the National FGM Centre in partnership with Barnardo’s, responds to the updated strategy to end violence against women and girls, published by government today.

Cllr Anita Lower, the LGA’s FGM lead spokesperson and Chair of the Advisory Board at the National FGM Centre, responds to new annual figures on the number of identified cases of FGM in England.

“There have now been 22,500 new cases of FGM identified in just over four years, which highlights the size of the challenge facing all agencies seeking an end to this form of abuse, which is destroying the lives of children and young people in communities across the country."