ILCS » Chapter 720 · Act 5
Illinois Compiled Statutes

720 ILCS 5/12-34 (2026)

Female genital mutilation

✓ current as of May 2026
Find cases: SyfertCases citing this section IL-ILGAilga.gov JustiaChapter on Justia CornellLII Search CasesGoogle Scholar
(720 ILCS 5/12-34)
    Sec. 12-34. Female genital mutilation.
    (a) Except as otherwise permitted in subsection (b), whoever knowingly circumcises, excises, or infibulates, in whole or in part, the labia majora, labia minora, or clitoris of another commits female genital mutilation. Consent to the procedure by a minor on whom it is performed or by the minor's parent or guardian is not a defense to a violation of this Section.
    (a-5) A parent, guardian, or other person having physical custody or control of a child who knowingly facilitates or permits the circumcision, excision, or infibulation, in whole or in part, of the labia majora, labia minora, or clitoris of the child commits female genital mutilation.
    (b) A surgical procedure is not a violation of subsection (a) if the procedure is performed by a physician licensed to practice medicine in all its branches and:
        (1) is necessary to the health of the person on whom
    
it is performed; or
        (2) is performed on a person who is in labor or who
    
has just given birth and is performed for medical purposes connected with that labor or birth.
    (c) Sentence. Female genital mutilation as described in subsection (a) is a Class X felony. Female genital mutilation as described in subsection (a-5) is a Class 1 felony.
(Source: P.A. 101-285, eff. 1-1-20.)


 
    (720 ILCS 5/Art. 12, Subdiv. 25 heading)
SUBDIVISION 25. OTHER HARM OFFENSES
(Source: P.A. 96-1551, eff. 7-1-11.)

    
Notes of Decisions
Cited in 3 cases, 2003–2006 · leading case: State v. Baxter, 141 P.3d 92 (Wash. Ct. App. 2006).
Sort: Relevance Newest Treatment
State v. Baxter, 141 P.3d 92 (Wash. Ct. App. 2006). “11, § 780 (2006); 720 ILCS 5/12-34 (2006); Md.Code Ann., Health General § 20-601 (2006); Minn.”
People v. Sanchez, Jr. (Ill. App. Ct. 2003). · cites it 2× “" 720 ILCS 5/12-34(a) (West 2000). Female genital mutilation is a Class X felony, punishable by 6 to 30 years in prison.”
People v. Walls, 806 N.E.2d 712 (Ill. App. Ct. 2004). “In Sanchez , the defendant first attempted to compare the statutes defining female genital mutilation (720 ILCS 5/12-34(a) ( West 2000 )) and aggravated criminal sexual assault (720 ILCS 5/12-14(a)(2) ( West 2000 )) in order to fall within the Lombardi cross-comparison analysis…”
— 720 ILCS 5/12-34(a) — 2 cases
People v. Walls, 806 N.E.2d 712 (Ill. App. Ct. 2004). “In Sanchez , the defendant first attempted to compare the statutes defining female genital mutilation (720 ILCS 5/12-34(a) ( West 2000 )) and aggravated criminal sexual assault (720 ILCS 5/12-14(a)(2) ( West 2000 )) in order to fall within the Lombardi cross-comparison analysis…”
People v. Sanchez, Jr. (Ill. App. Ct. 2003). “" 720 ILCS 5/12-34(a) (West 2000). Female genital mutilation is a Class X felony, punishable by 6 to 30 years in prison.”
— 720 ILCS 5/12-34(c) — 1 case
People v. Sanchez, Jr. (Ill. App. Ct. 2003). “" 720 ILCS 5/12-34(a) (West 2000). Female genital mutilation is a Class X felony, punishable by 6 to 30 years in prison.”
Annotations are extracted automatically from the opinions in the Syfert caselaw corpus and ranked by authority, recency, and treatment. Dots show Syfertize treatment of the citing case itself.