South Africa: "Circumscribing Circumcision"

Submitted by Minuteman on Tue, 2013-11-05 02:15

Link here. Excerpt:

'Over 80,000 boys went to initiation schools in 2012, up from 30,000 in 2008, said Lechesa Tsenoli, traditional affairs minister, in Parliament this year.
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Often no anaesthetic is used. The surgeon's hands are often unwashed and ungloved. After the cut, the initiate's foreskin is usually buried or tied to his blanket. Herbs and leaves are applied to the wound, which is then bandaged, sometimes so tightly that oxygen is cut off and an infection develops. A traditional attendant dresses the wounds, sometimes reusing the bandages on other boys.

A period of seclusion follows, lasting up to two months. For a week, the initiates cannot leave the camp or eat meat. Their fluid intake is limited and often they only survive on maize meal. The first week after circumcision may be marked by hunger, dehydration and seclusion. If an initiate falls ill, traditional doctors and nurses will treat him before he is taken to hospital.
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About 30% of the world's men are circumcised, according to a 2007 World Health Organisation report. Research shows that circumcision can reduce the risk of HIV infection by 48% to 60%, according to the report. This is crucial in South Africa where, according to the latest Statistics South Africa figures, 10% of the country's population is HIV positive.

Religious cultures such as Judaism and sects of Islam circumcise boys with few complications, largely because trained practitioners perform the procedure at infancy rather than adolescence, which helps with healing. But in South Africa this tradition has recently been marred by deaths, mutilations and amputations.
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Penalties for performing a circumcision without meeting provincial guidelines include a fine of 10,000 rand (about $1,000) in the Eastern Cape and ten years imprisonment. There are also news reports of schools kidnapping boys, but often it is later found that the young men decided to attend without telling their parents.
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The national health department said it would launch a new plan in October, ahead of the December initiation season. The new plan (still not revealed before going to press) will likely promote the practice of medical circumcision, which would place professional doctors and nurses at the initiation sites.'

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Comments

... just stop circumcising boys.

As for HIV spread, you'll get far better results if instead of cutting off pieces of males' penises, you teach them a) how STDs like HIV are spread and b) how to use condoms and why.

But that doesn't generate much revenue for anyone, does it?

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Submitted by Matt on Tue, 2013-11-05 03:37

"Religious cultures such as Judaism and sects of Islam circumcise boys with few complications, largely because trained practitioners perform the procedure at infancy rather than adolescence, which helps with healing. But in South Africa this tradition has recently been marred by deaths, mutilations and amputations."

Actually, when done this way, it is actually a much more complicated procedure. The synecchia has to be broken (the fuse between the head and the foreskin), and the wound is also placed in diapers which fill with feces and urine. There is not less pain, only less vivid memory of phsyical pain. I remember the first time I learned about this, i didn't speak with my parents for about three months. I planned on never speaking to them again, until I learned it was the hospital who did it without even asking them. The sad thing is, they would have handed me over anyway... but I don't have to deal with the hatred towards them knowing that it wasn't done because they asked for it. Though from time to time I'm still reduced by tears by the way I was violated on my first day of life.

I agree with Matt. How about we stop forcing this on boys, and just let men decide for themselves?

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Submitted by xtrnl on Tue, 2013-11-05 21:40