Statistics published by the NHS show that, of newly recorded cases of FGM between April 2016 and March 2017, 114 were children under the age of 16, and 25 were aged 16 to 17.
This is an increase of 31 per cent on the previous year's figure, when there were 106 newly recorded FGM cases involving under-18s.
In total there were 5,391 newly reported cases of FGM between April 2016 and March 2017. Although 31 is the average age of first attendance by a victim, the illegal practice was carried out before the victim was 18 in 95 per cent of cases.
Children's charity NSPCC said health services are getting better at reporting FGM but suggested that the number of victims who are under 18 is likely to be far higher, pointing to the fact that its helpline receives calls daily with concerns about or from girls at risk of FGM or who have already been subject to the practice.
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