Australia: "Former sailor wants compensation over ship circumcision"

Submitted by Minuteman on Mon, 2011-09-05 08:58

Article here. The title is from the original article; the now 56 year-old former serviceman is actually seeking a very modest pension, for severe depression resulting from his treatment whilst in the defence force. Being seen to be after "compo" (financial compensation) is frowned on here in Australia, and the female journalist is attempting to portray this former serviceman's situation in this light. Excerpt:

'A FORMER sailor who was circumcised by a ship's doctor and allegedly suffered ridicule from his shipmates is seeking compensation almost 40 years after the operation.

He woke during the operation and had to be physically restrained while it was completed, according to evidence to a tribunal.

The attendant holding him down then joked his foreskin would make good fish bait, it was claimed.

The Melbourne man, 56, is seeking a $28,600 a year defence force pension because he claims his severe depression that emerged after the circumcision was caused by his defence service.
...

A medical attendant "held the removed foreskin in tongs and joked about using it for fishing", he said.

The man fainted and spent four days in sick bay, then his shipmates started taunting him.

''Jokes were made referring to the size of his penis . . . he was called names," the tribunal found.

When he transferred to another ship the taunts continued and he became depressed, alienated and lonely, the tribunal found.'

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Originally posted by The Intactivism Pages.

Minuteman

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Submitted by Minuteman on Mon, 2011-09-05 09:00

Was there a true medical rationale for this or did he just have a case of clap and so the dr. decided to circumcise him? (Not that that would cure it.)

One thing that is true in most if not all armed forces of the world: once you join, they literally own your body. They can do damn near anything to you that they want. And you cannot sue anyone involved in their abuse of you or complain about them if you are lower in rank than they are. This is esp. on display in medical malpractice cases. If a private goes in to see "doc" for a cough and leaves with a foot amputated, he or she cannot sue or bring charges vs. the dr. who is at least an officer (the rank may vary, but I know of no service that commissions MDs as anything less than lieutenant or its equivalent).

The use of military servicemen (never women, it seems) as experimental subjects is pretty well-documented. One story discusses it here: http://www.alternet.org/health/140206. Just try getting compensated for such things done to you if you were in the service. Good luck.

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Submitted by Matt on Mon, 2011-09-05 15:06