Pre-crime, hyper-vigilance, and the over-surveillance of migrant-heritage families in FGM-safeguarding in England and Wales
Pre-crime, hyper-vigilance, and the over-surveillance of migrant-heritage families in FGM-safeguarding in England and Wales
This article investigates the role of pre-emptive policies and practices aiming to eliminate female genital cutting/mutilation (FGC/M) in England and Wales. We argue that the Serious Crime Act 2015, with its focus on pre-empting, uncovering and punishing FGC/M, represents a milestone in the development of a pre-crime society. By combining data collected from focus groups with migrant-heritage families living in Bristol in 2018 and data on state practices obtained via Freedom of Information requests in 2022, we provide unique insights into the nature and unfolding harmful impacts of hyper-vigilance and over-surveillance associated with the pre-emptive justice elements of the 2015 Act. In doing so, we expose the role played by the central government in ‘institutionalising racism’ within the police and social work. Facilitating an effective challenge to these issues requires social work professionals to engage reflexively in anti-racist and anti-oppressive practice and to drive new discussions about decolonialism within the profession.
FGM-safeguarding, female genital mutilation, institutional racism, pre-crime, surveillance, female genital cutting/mutilation, ‘FGM-safeguarding’
176-194
Pantazis, Christina
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Carver, Natasha
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Karlsen, Saffron
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Mogilnicka, Magda
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White, Rebecca
a747ee44-78e6-44d8-ac8c-3814fd7d649f
1 April 2025
Pantazis, Christina
c642655a-80b3-4e42-93a4-ea4ac204bf3b
Carver, Natasha
6fe50d7b-ed6d-4865-8810-29fda60c1983
Karlsen, Saffron
ee475232-62ee-4405-a603-dbb74e80c5ad
Mogilnicka, Magda
99b42ae0-17cf-4b08-9962-4ab607e58b13
White, Rebecca
a747ee44-78e6-44d8-ac8c-3814fd7d649f
Pantazis, Christina, Carver, Natasha, Karlsen, Saffron, Mogilnicka, Magda and White, Rebecca
(2025)
Pre-crime, hyper-vigilance, and the over-surveillance of migrant-heritage families in FGM-safeguarding in England and Wales.
Critical and Radical Social Work, 13 (2), .
(doi:10.1332/20498608Y2025D000000071).
Abstract
This article investigates the role of pre-emptive policies and practices aiming to eliminate female genital cutting/mutilation (FGC/M) in England and Wales. We argue that the Serious Crime Act 2015, with its focus on pre-empting, uncovering and punishing FGC/M, represents a milestone in the development of a pre-crime society. By combining data collected from focus groups with migrant-heritage families living in Bristol in 2018 and data on state practices obtained via Freedom of Information requests in 2022, we provide unique insights into the nature and unfolding harmful impacts of hyper-vigilance and over-surveillance associated with the pre-emptive justice elements of the 2015 Act. In doing so, we expose the role played by the central government in ‘institutionalising racism’ within the police and social work. Facilitating an effective challenge to these issues requires social work professionals to engage reflexively in anti-racist and anti-oppressive practice and to drive new discussions about decolonialism within the profession.
Text
crsw-article-10.1332-20498608Y2025D000000071
- Version of Record
More information
Accepted/In Press date: 19 October 2024
e-pub ahead of print date: 24 February 2025
Published date: 1 April 2025
Keywords:
FGM-safeguarding, female genital mutilation, institutional racism, pre-crime, surveillance, female genital cutting/mutilation, ‘FGM-safeguarding’
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 496876
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/496876
ISSN: 2049-8608
PURE UUID: 2358f2f8-df70-4c0b-b8c5-2133a6df77ce
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Date deposited: 08 Jan 2025 11:27
Last modified: 15 May 2025 02:14
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Contributors
Author:
Christina Pantazis
Author:
Natasha Carver
Author:
Saffron Karlsen
Author:
Magda Mogilnicka
Author:
Rebecca White
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