A Maine lawmaker says she’s not giving up on a bill that appears to be dead. Rep. Heather Sirocki (R-Scarborough) is calling on her colleagues in the House and Senate to make female genital mutilation illegal, and there’s a slight chance her bill could get new life later this week.…
Recently Michigan became the 26th state to ban female genital mutilation. It has been a crime under federal law since 1966, punishable by up to five years in prison. Michigan’s law imposes harsher penalties than the federal law. The Michigan legislation was preceded by the news that Michigan doctors had…
Maine House Speaker Sara Gideon Balks at Bringing L.D. 745 Up for Vote on Aug. 2; Law Criminalizes Barbaric Practice in State; #EndFGMToday Washington, D.C.—In less than a week, Maine lawmakers will have a chance to protect girls from the horrors of female genital mutilation (FGM) in their state. On…
Female genital mutilation (FGM) defies all standards of humanity and has been condemned as a hideous violation of human rights by the United Nations and the World Health Organization. The Centers for Disease Control estimates that more than 513,000 girls are at risk of FGM in the United States. With…
Crucial Bill to Criminalize FGM in Maine Not Dead, Up for Vote in Senate on August 2—Pressure Now on House Democrats; #EndFGMToday Washington, D.C.—There are few in America who would argue that mutilating the genitals of little girls is excusable. Yet, some lawmakers in Maine are preventing the criminalization of…
When authorities discovered that a pair of Michigan doctors were using a Livonia clinic to perform genital mutilations on young girls, they had to charge the suspects in federal court because Michigan had no state law outlawing the practice. Earlier this month, Gov. Rick Snyder signed a bill that will…
Governor Rick Snyder signed a large bill package last week that makes female genital mutilation a felony in Michigan, but he could see more bills on this issue headed to his desk. The additional bills deal with police training and parental rights. Democratic state Representative Vanessa Guerra sponsored the legislation, HB 4640,…
The motto of the state of Maine is Dirigo – Latin for ‘I lead’. Bellwether wants to know who’s leading the fight to protect little girls in Maine from genital mutilation. A Republican-sponsored bill to outlaw the barbaric procedure is being opposed by Democrats, who say they fear it will…
Maine actress Kelly Carlson discusses why the Maine legislature must pass its anti-FGM legislation immediately