Genital mutilation and its effects on society

[Sliverofhope]

The psychological impact of circumcision
R. GOLDMAN

From a global perspective, most of the world does not practise circumcision; over 80% of the world's males are intact (not circumcised) <1>. Most circumcised men are Muslim or Jewish; the USA is the only country in the world that circumcises most (60%) of its male infants for non-religious reasons. Other countries that circumcised a significant minority of male infants for non-religious reasons include Canada and Australia. This article refers mostly to the American practice, because the USA has the highest rate of non-religious circumcision and the most contentious debate about circumcision.

...

Behavioral changes in infants resulting from circumcision are very common, and can interfere with parent-infant bonding and feeding. <3,8>. The American Academy of Pediatrics Task Force on Circumcision notes increased irritability, varying sleep patterns and changes in infant-maternal interaction after circumcision <17>. Canadian investigators report that during vaccinations at age 4-6 months, circumcised boys had an increased behavioral pain response and cried for significantly longer periods than did intact boys. The authors believe that 'circumcision may produce long-lasting changes in infant pain behaviour' <18>. That study suggests that circumcision may permanently alter the structure and function of developing neural pathways <19>.

...

Long-term psychological effects associated with circumcision can be difficult to establish because the consequences of early trauma are only rarely, and under special circumstances, recognizable to the person who experienced the trauma. However, lack of awareness does not necessarily mean that there has been no impact on thinking, feeling, attitude, behaviour and functioning, which are often closely connected. In this way, an early trauma can alter a whole life, whether or not the trauma is consciously remembered.

http://www.cirp.org/library/psych/goldman1/

[KG]

1. snorf

[patricia92243]

2. deleated

[preciousdove]

3. Male Circumcision: Cutting the Risk?

http://www.amfar.org/cgi-bin/iowa/td/feature/record.html?record=15

Lack of male circumcision has long been linked to the higher HIV prevalence in Africa. First identified in the eighties, the associations between circumcision, sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and HIV transmission have been extensively studied. At the XIII International AIDS Conference in Durban this July, more evidence was presented supporting circumcision as a risk-lowering factor for HIV transmission. What was surprising, however, were studies suggesting that adult male circumcision, if available, would be an acceptable – even desirable – option for many African men at risk.

[varun]

5. European males

are uncircumcized, yet HIV rates are lower in Wester Europe compared to the US.

One needs to get educated about HIV to reduce transmission, not get circumcized.

[mainer]

4. male circumcision is child abuse

The American Academy of Pediatrics has declared it an unnecessary procedure. It is done purely for cultural and religious reasons. There are only a few medical indications for it (e.g. repeated urinary tract infections). To make matters worse, it's often done without any anesthesia in newborns. Just try to imagine that.

The vast majority of men in Europe are uncircumcised, and they are certainly every bit as healthy as American men.

Ever hear a male infant getting the procedure done? You've never heard such heartrending screams. No way was I going to let them do that to my boys, and now that they're grown men, they've thanked me for leaving them "intact"!