Together with the Waris Dirie Foundation, it has offered a 20,000reward for information leading to the prosecution of anyone carrying outthis form of child abuse in London.
The summer holiday period is believed to be the most prevalent time forthe procedure to be done because of the extended recovery time. ProjectAzure will raise awareness that it is illegal and anyone caughtarranging or administering it could face up to 14 years in prison.Detective chief superintendent Alistair Jeffrey, head of the child abuseinvestigation command, said: "Female genital mutilation has very severephysical, psychological and emotional consequences."
Activist and supermodel Waris Dirie, a victim of the procedure, added:"It is the most cynical form of child abuse."
