Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will commission a study to establish the prevalence of breast-ironing in the UK amongst the Western, Eastern and Central African disapora communities.

The government condemns violence against women and girls in all its forms and is clear that political or cultural sensitivities must not get in the way of preventing, identifying and prosecuting practices like breast ironing.

There are currently no plans to commission a study to establish the prevalence of breast-ironing in the UK amongst the Western, Eastern and Central African disapora communities.

However, the government is working with local areas to support them to identify areas of need in their communities in order that they provide services to victims.

Where breast ironing is practised on girls it is child abuse and should be treated as such by all frontline professionals.

The clear legal frameworks that apply to child abuse apply to breast ironing.

As with any other form of child abuse, any cases should be referred to the police who will investigate and where appropriate work with the CPS to prosecute.

It is important that affected communities come together to speak out against such abhorrent practices and denounce them for the crimes they are.