District of Columbia Code Division IV. Criminal Law and Procedure and Prisoners. § 22-1431. Prohibition on female genital mutilation.

(1) “Female genital mutilation” means any procedure performed for non-medical reasons that involves partial or total removal of, or other injury to, the external female genitalia, including:

(2) Repealed.

(1) Knowingly performs female genital mutilation on any person;

(2) Is a parent or guardian of, or has immediate custody or control of, a person under the age of 18 and knowingly consents to, aids, permits, or otherwise facilitates female genital mutilation of such person;  or

(3) Knowingly removes or facilitates the removal of a person under the age of 18 from the District for the purpose of facilitating female genital mutilation of that person;  provided, that the conduct constituting female genital mutilation constitutes a criminal offense in the territory to which the person is removed.

(1) The unlawful conduct is required as a matter of religion, custom, ritual, or other standard practice;  or

(2) The person on whom female genital mutilation was performed, or that person's parent or guardian, consented to the procedure.

(1) Occurred in the furtherance of a surgical or other lawful medical procedure, performed by a licensed medical professional, and:

(2) In the case of a piercing, was conducted on a consenting adult by a body artist, as that term is defined in § 47-2809.01(3).

(f)(1) A victim of female genital mutilation may bring a civil action against a person for a violation of subsection (b) of this section.

(2) If a court determines that an individual violated subsection (b) of this section, the court may award the payment of actual, compensatory, and punitive damages, and any other appropriate relief.

(3) A prevailing plaintiff shall be awarded attorney's fees and costs.

(g)(1) The Director of the Department of Health shall develop or obtain, and make available to the public, informational materials on:

(2) The Director of the Department of Health, in coordination with other relevant District agencies, shall develop and make available to the public informational materials, or integrate information into existing publicly-available informational materials, on mandated reporters' obligation to report that a person under care or under the age of 18 known to him or her in his or her professional or official capacity has been subjected to, or is in imminent danger of being subjected to, female genital mutilation.