ABSTRACT
This chapter examines national legislative developments relating to anti- female genital mutilation (FGM) laws as well as government initiatives aimed at supporting FGM victims and survivors. The experiences of law professionals such as D. Lester are key to understanding wider anti-FGM activism in Britain and its impact on public policy. Regarding the particular role played by frontline professionals, Lester has accordingly called for greater preventive measures to be put in place. The role that patriarchal cultures play in perpetuating FGM and related 'honour'-based violence among practising communities is well documented in the literature. Given that FGM is mostly the result of international migration, survivors visiting African Well-Women's Clinics often hail from practising Diasporas in Britain as well as abroad. Developments in anti-FGM British law over the past three decades must be understood within the context of a wider international legal framework that seeks to eradicate the practice.
