Female circumcision involves the partial/complete removal or injury of the external genitalia for cultural or other non-therapeutic reasons. It always leads to serious health problems. Very often, circumcision takes place between the ages of four and eight.
How often and where does female genital mutilation occur?
Affected or at-risk girls and women from countries in Europe where FGM is practised live among us. According to calculations by TERRE DES FEMMES, there are around 25,000 to 30,000 affected women and around 6,000 girls at risk in Germany.
Is FGM a criminal offense?
FGM is a crime under Section 226a of the German Criminal Code (StGB) and is always punishable in Germany - even if the girl or woman has consented to it. A report can be made to the police. Victims can seek legal, medical, psychological and other help.
What can you do if you suspect that a girl is at risk of FGM?
Inform yourself in detail and at an early stage about FGM, the legal situation and how to proceed if a child's welfare is at risk. Because you can make contact with affected and at-risk girls and their families at school, kindergarten and daycare centers.
The new "Act on Cooperation and Information in Child Protection" (KKG) has been in place since January 1, 2012. It applies to minors aged 0 to 17. It regulates which professional groups the law applies to. These include: Doctors, midwives, psychologists, marriage, family, educational or youth counselors, social workers, social pedagogues and teachers.
The law gives teachers and educators the right to inform the youth welfare office if certain conditions are met. You can also contact the police with your suspicions. They will inform the youth welfare office and initiate criminal proceedings in the event of initial suspicion.
What can you do if you suspect that a girl has been circumcised?
Circumcision constitutes bodily harm. Report your suspicions to the police. You can get advice from an experienced specialist, for example.
What if the circumcision took place abroad?
In principle, German criminal law applies to acts committed here.
Female "circumcision" is often carried out abroad, however, even though the parents and their underage girl live in Germany. In these cases of "vacation mutilation", Germany is often not the scene of the crime. Whether German criminal law can be applied depends on other provisions in the German Criminal Code:
The mutilation of female genitalia in accordance with Section 226a of the German Criminal Code has been included in the list of Section 5 of the German Criminal Code (crimes with special domestic relevance) since 27 January 2015. According to this, German law is applicable if the perpetrator is German at the time of the offense or if the victim is domiciled or habitually resident in Germany at the time of the offense. This is usually the case with "vacation mutilations" because the girls concerned live with their parents in Germany. The nationality of the victim is irrelevant.
Counseling and support services
- Opferschutzportal NRW
- Das Hilfetelefon Gewalt gegen Frauen (Tel.: 116 016)
- Kontakt zur Polizefi/Wachenfinder
Quellen
- stop mutilation e. V. (Hrsg.): Weibliche Genitalbeschneidung-Mädchen unterstützen und schützen. Leidfaden für pädagogische Fachkräfte, (link to the guide, as of 14.02.2025)
- Wissenschatliche Dienste des Deutschen Bundestags: Strafbarkeit der Beschneidung von Mädchen, insbesondere in Fällen mit Auslandsbezug, (link, as of 14.02.2024)