Judge throws out anti-female genital mutilation law – Media Release
MEDIA RELEASE
For immediate release – Wednesday November 21, 2018
Judge throws out anti-female genital mutilation law leaving girls at risk in 23 US states
The AHA Foundation is shocked by US district court judge Friedman’s decision yesterday in the landmark case United States versus Nargawala, et al. The judge’s ruling effectively throws out a federal law that has criminalized female genital mutilation since 1996. This is a serious blow to the rights of girls in this country.
Amanda Parker, a Senior Director at the AHA Foundation says “This is outrageous. It has taken years for whistleblowers, police, FBI and attorneys to work together to bring this trial to court. Dropping the FGM charge is a real blow to the human rights of women and girls in the United States.”
“The judge’s ruling that the federal statute against FGM is unconstitutional sets a precedent that cutting girls genitals is not a concern at the national level,” says Ms Parker.
“This means that those 23 states that do not have laws protecting girls from FGM could potentially become destination states. For example, if a perpetrator risks life imprisonment in Minnesota, where anti-FGM laws are in place, why would they not have girls trafficked across states lines to Iowa to mutilate them? This is exactly how we got here. The defendants in this case had the victims shipped from Minnesota to Michigan and the only way of holding them accountable for FGM was the federal statute.”
“It sends the message that the authorities are not serious about protecting girls, especially those in immigrant communities, from this form of abuse.”
Amanda Parker, Senior Director of the AHA Foundation.
About the AHA Foundation believes in liberty for all people:
The AHA Foundation was established by Ayaan Hirsi Ali in 2007 to put the ideas she writes about into practice. The organization advocates liberty for all by championing human rights and individual liberties above cultural, social or religious imperatives. As a 501(c)3 non-profit, the AHA Foundation, raises funds and leads programs to protect women from honor violence, to advance freedom of speech on campuses and in public debate, as well as supporting the work of Muslim reformers.