Canada criminalized female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) in 1997, defining it as aggravated assault. Get caught doing it to a child or woman of any age, and expect 14 years in jail. We’d think the clinics from Toronto had shut down years ago after demonstrations against them in the 90s (it’s still happening in London), and in Islam in general – read here, yet a recent report by Islamic Relief Canada makes the uncomfortable point plain: the law exists, the practice persists, and the systems meant to protect girls and support survivors are still not ready.
Get the PDF report: Documenting and Responding to Female Genital Mutilation in Canada
There are no reliable national prevalence statistics for Canada — a gap so visible that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau publicly called for better data. That absence of measurement is not neutral. It creates the conditions for denial, and for harm to continue in private. It can happen from infancy to about age
The report released in 2025 documents what many Canadians prefer to believe cannot happen “here”: FGM/C can be arranged and performed inside Canada, including in private homes with no medical oversight. One participant recalls being told: “We must carry our culture with us wherever we are.”
Another Canadian Muslim describes the reality of secrecy and confusion when it happens on Canadian soil: “It happened in Canada… It was done in secret, at home.” And the damning detail: “The woman who did it wasn’t even a medical professional.”
In one case, the cutting was effectively imported to Canada: “My grandmother visited us… She purposely travelled to have me circumcised.”
“Vacation cutting”: taken abroad — and brought back
The report is explicit that Canada also faces the cross-border version. It is a criminal offense to remove a child from Canada for the purpose of FGM/C, yet families may still send daughters abroad. This is the most documented pathway internationally: the procedure is done during a “family trip” and returns to Canada with the harm already inflicted — and often undisclosed and most of the scars healed over.
Some of the data shows the greatest amount of cases in Alberta.
What may be most disturbing is not only that FGM/C can happen — but that Canada’s healthcare system is still too often unprepared to recognize it, document it, or support survivors with competence and dignity. From the healthcare practitioner survey cited in the report:
- Only 9% rated their knowledge as “Excellent,” while 57% rated it “Fair” or “Poor.”
- 48% said they were unfamiliar with the four types of FGM/C.
- 60% reported no formal education on FGM/C.
Stigma compounds the gap. A service provider explains that women may choose midwives from within their community to keep their status private. Another line cuts to the core: “There’s a lack of understanding… especially psychologically.”
Here is the part Canadians and new immigrants to Canada should understand clearly: aggravated assault in Canada carries a maximum penalty of up to 14 years in prison. Yet the report warns that punitive law alone does not necessarily stop the practice — and can drive it deeper underground through fear of consequences for family members.
That is why the authors emphasize a coordinated approach: training, culturally competent care, community leadership, and survivor-centered support — not just criminal statutes.
If you suspect risk or harm: who you can report to in Canada
If a child is at risk, act as if it is an emergency. According to Canada’s Department of Justice, FGM is child abuse and should be reported. If you suspect risk, contact the police. END FGM believes there are 100,000 women in Canada who are victims to FGM. To date there are zero cases of prosecution. In July 2017, a leaked internal report by the Canada Border Services Agency acknowledged that FGM/C practitioners were “almost certainly entering Canada” to engage in the practice.
Watch a video of what they found coming to Canada.
FGM by country
If you or someone you know is a victim of FGM or could be taken abroad for the procedure, you can call the
- Police / Emergency services: Justice Canada guidance on FGM. Call 9-1-1.
- Provincial or territorial child protection services (police can direct you if unsure)
- School safeguarding channels (principals or designated safeguarding leads)
- Hospital safeguarding teams or professional regulatory bodies
If travel is imminent and there is concern a child may be taken abroad for FGM/C, report urgently to the police. It is also illegal to remove a child from Canada for this purpose under the Criminal Code.
