A ten year old Somali girl was subjected to forced gynaecological examination

Alert DateOctober 21, 2010 Country: Sweden Address: Uppsala General Type: Institutional discrimination Racism and discrimination phenomena: Anti-migrant/xenophobia, Islamophobia, Afrophobia
Groups affected / Interested in: Migrants, Muslims, Ethnic minorities, Religious minorities Key socio-economic/institutional areas: Anti-discrimination, Anti-racism, Religion Hate speech/Racist Discourse Medium: Other

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Victims Data
Victims Nationality/Ethnic Origin Somali
Victims Gender Female
Victims Age <17
Victims Number 1
Fatalities - deaths N/A
Perpetrators Data
Perpetrators Nationality/Ethnic Origin Swedish
Perpetrator Gender N/A
Perpetrator Age 46-55
Perpetrators Number 1
Extremist/Organised Group Violence No

A ten year old Somali girl was subjected to forced gynaecological examination after suspicion that her parents had genital mutilated her. The Social Services Committee reported the parents to the Police after a complaint by a district nurse. The girl was picked up by the police from school to undergo the forced gynaecological examination. The Equality Ombudsman sued the municipality for allowing such an intrusion in the girl’s privacy, based on just suspicion. DO argued that the suspicions and the entire investigation was based on ethnic prejudice. The district court shared DO's view, ruling the municipality to pay 60 000 SEK (6,000 euro) in damages to the family. The municipality appealed against the court decision, but the leave to appeal was rejected, therefore, the district court's ruling is final.


 


Source: Uppsala kommun: Omed 2006/800, The Equality Ombudsman, http://www.do.se