Soon after she was elected to office in May 2018, Senator Breanne Davis worked closely with AHA Foundation to pass one of the strongest, most comprehensive FGM bans in the nation. Senator Davis shares how she turned anti-FGM legislation into another success in her mission to protect women’s and children’s rights in her state.
AHA Foundation: When did you first hear about female genital mutilation (FGM) in the U.S., and what compelled you to act on this issue at the legislative level?
Sen. Davis: I first heard about FGM rates from AHA Foundation after a colleague introduced us in August of 2018. I’ve spent several years volunteering with human trafficking survivors and, while human trafficking and FGM are different issues, they share a common theme: no one believes it’s happening in their communities.