http://www.cfp.ca/cgi/eletters/53/12/2096#139
Letters pub'd by the Journal of Canadian Family Practise Physicians in response to an article by Schoen. Here's an exerpt from one physician:
Exerpt:<< From: Janet Menage,
GP
Primary Care, NHS, UK
Puppies are now protected from tail-docking but human babies can still have a normal, healthy, functioning part of their genitalia amputated at the drop of a hat (1).
Loss of a body part is psychologically traumatic (2). When it occurs without consent it is perceived as an assault. When it attacks the penis it constitutes a sexual assault. And when done without anaesthetic it may be experienced as sexual torture. There is much published work on the subject (3).
My research into obstetric and gynaecological procedures in women (4) showed that where the patient experiences a genital procedure, without informed consent, in an unsympathetic environment, associated with pain and an experience of powerlessness, there is a risk of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder similar to that experienced by victims of war, rape and childhood sexual abuse.
Preliminary research into the psychological effects of circumcision revealed similar findings of PTSD on a clinical scoring system validated on Vietnam war veterans (5).
Many doctors will not have heard any complaints from circumcised men as they would be reluctant to trust the medical profession, would fear ridicule, and likely feel ashamed of their condition, as per other victims of sexual assault. >> end of exerpt, for full letter click on link.
Letters pub'd by the Journal of Canadian Family Practise Physicians in response to an article by Schoen. Here's an exerpt from one physician:
Exerpt:<< From: Janet Menage,
GP
Primary Care, NHS, UK
Puppies are now protected from tail-docking but human babies can still have a normal, healthy, functioning part of their genitalia amputated at the drop of a hat (1).
Loss of a body part is psychologically traumatic (2). When it occurs without consent it is perceived as an assault. When it attacks the penis it constitutes a sexual assault. And when done without anaesthetic it may be experienced as sexual torture. There is much published work on the subject (3).
My research into obstetric and gynaecological procedures in women (4) showed that where the patient experiences a genital procedure, without informed consent, in an unsympathetic environment, associated with pain and an experience of powerlessness, there is a risk of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder similar to that experienced by victims of war, rape and childhood sexual abuse.
Preliminary research into the psychological effects of circumcision revealed similar findings of PTSD on a clinical scoring system validated on Vietnam war veterans (5).
Many doctors will not have heard any complaints from circumcised men as they would be reluctant to trust the medical profession, would fear ridicule, and likely feel ashamed of their condition, as per other victims of sexual assault. >> end of exerpt, for full letter click on link.
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