AT LEAST three new victims of female genital mutilation (FGM) have been seen by NHS services in Oxfordshire so far this year.

The NHS Digital figures reveal how many women and girls in the county were seen by doctors, nurses or midwives for the first time between January and September.

FGM is where female genitals are cut, injured or changed for no medical reason.

Only approximate numbers are published, to prevent the identification of victims.

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It comes after figures released this summer showed up to seven newly reported cases in the county between April 2018 and March this year.

At the time anti-FGM group Oxford Against Cutting's executive officer and co-founder Kate Agha said: "It's important to emphasise that this would not be necessarily new cases, it often having happened years before and in different countries."

She added: "It is also the tip of the iceberg because of the taboo around the issue. This doesn't capture the full picture due to the very private nature of FGM."

Across England, there were more than 8,600 appointments for women and girls with FGM at NHS services over the nine-month period. Nearly 3,000 had their injuries recorded for the first time. Of the cases in Oxfordshire in which the region where the injuries were inflicted was stated and recorded, they were most commonly in western Africa.