Sweden: Reports of genital mutilation on the rise.

Reports of genital mutilation are increasing in Sweden. Reports of genital mutilation are on the rise, reports Dagens Nyheter.

The procedures are often performed abroad, without anesthesia or sterile instruments. In 2015, 14 violations of the law prohibiting genital mutilation were reported. For three years, this has been around 40 per year, according to Brås statistics. However, few cases result in legal proceedings, as many investigations are closed for lack of evidence. "It can be difficult to prove when it was carried out, perhaps in the victim's country of origin before she moved to Sweden and where she is not incriminated", explains Britt-Louise Viklund, Linköping prosecutor who has dealt with several cases of this type in the newspaper. "It can also be difficult to prove who performed the genital mutilation. On some occasions the children were too young to be heard," adds Britt-Louise Viklund. According to DN's review, only three cases of genital mutilation in Sweden resulted in a conviction. The National Board of Health and Welfare estimates that around 38,000 girls and women in Sweden may have been exposed to some type of genital mutilation, of which around 7,000 are girls under the age of 18. The most esteemed groups were born in Somalia, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Egypt and The Gambia. Female genital mutilation is prohibited in Sweden. The law says that genital mutilation is prohibited even if the person gives his consent. The person who performs the mutilation on female genitals is liable to prison. In Sweden you can be sentenced, even if the genital mutilation was carried out in another country. It is also illegal to sew a woman's vagina after childbirth. Anyone who works with children in Sweden should report to social services if they suspect that a girl has been or is about to be cut.