Genital mutilation/Table

The following list lists the various forms of male genital mutilation, starting with the lightest to the most severe known form (excluding castration^[WP]). Information about the pain is of course very subjective. It plays a major role whether tissue on the ventral side of the penis is involved, as there is a strong concentration of nerves in the frenulum. In initiation rituals, the infliction of pain is usually quite intentional.

Type	Location	Who	Purpose	Age	Still today?	Performance	Result	Pain	Anesthesia
Infibulation	"civilized" countries in the 19th century	mostly a doctor	prevention of masturbation	youth	No	The foreskin is pierced twice. A silver wire or even a small padlock is passed through.	two holes in the foreskin	moderate	No
Severing the frenulum	Luos in Africa	Young people already initiated	Initiation rite	12 years or older	possibly still practiced here and there in rural areas, partly replaced by radical circumcisions	different methods: 1) Piercing of the frenulum, which is then severed with a ligature within a few days 2) Piercing and then severing the frenulum 3) In the most bizarre form, a giant termite is made to bite through the frenulum	The operation shortly before puberty is intended to expose the glans after the penis has grown. No loss of sensitive tissue	1) moderate to strong, 2) strong, 3) very strong	no
Superincision	in the Philippines with many, but not all tribes, in the Fiji Islands, in the small Pacific islands of Tikopia (Polynesia), Tangaroa, Ra'ivavae and Niue	an amateur, an uncle on Tikopia, and on Ra'ivavae those appointed have to lend a hand themselves	Initiation rite	usually carried out between the ages of 8 and 10 years (on Niue at the age of 8, in Fiji during puberty)	still in use, but increasingly being replaced by radical circumcisions in the Philippines	a dorsal incision in which the foreskin is cut open and the glans is exposed, but no tissue is removed	Exposed glans, skin flaps on the underside of the penis	strong	no
Bizarre form of superincision	a tribe in Melanesia (western Solomon Islands)	an amateur	Initiation rite	?	?	A horizontal incision is made on the top of the foreskin and the glans is pulled through.	Exposed glans, flaps of skin on the underside of the penis	strong	no
Special form of superincision	a tribe in Melanesia (Solomon Islands)	an amateur	Initiation rite	?	still in use	4 incisions are made in the foreskin, the glans is exposed, but no tissue is removed	bared glans, 4 skin flaps, similar to a flower, around the glans	very strong	no
Partial circumcision (about 1/3)	in use in Judaism until the 2nd century	the trained Mohel	biblical command	8th day after birth	no longer in this lighter form	The foreskin is pulled forward and previously partially cut off with a sharp stone, today with a razor blade.	partially bared glans, loss of sensitive tissue	very strong	no
Partial circumcision (about 1/3)	some African tribes	an amateur	Initiation rite	varying	still in use	The foreskin is pulled forward and previously partially cut off with a sharp stone, today with a razor blade.	partially bared glans, loss of sensitive tissue	very strong	no
Partial circumcision (at least half to 2/3)	in Islamic countries, among Islamic population groups	the barber, a circumciser, sometimes a doctor (who then usually circumcises radically)	Initiation rite, tradition	varying, always before puberty	yes	The foreskin is pulled forward and previously partially cut off with a sharp stone, today with a razor blade or a scalpel. If carried out by a surgeon, parts of both skin layers are usually removed and, if necessary, then sutured.	partially, after puberty mostly completely bare glans, visible scar, loss of sensitive tissue	very strong (with anesthesia: no pain, but possibly unpleasant after-effects)	no or rarely
Partial circumcision (at least half to 2/3)	with African tribes, with Aborigines in Northwest Australia	an amateur	Initiation rite, tradition	varying	yes	The foreskin is pulled forward and previously partially cut off with a sharp stone, today with a razor blade or a scalpel. If carried out by a surgeon, parts of both skin layers are usually removed and, if necessary, then sutured.	partially, after puberty mostly completely bare glans, visible scar, loss of sensitive tissue	very strong (with anesthesia: no pain, but possibly unpleasant after-effects)	no or rarely
Partial circumcision (at least half to 2/3)	in West Australia	an amateur	Initiation rite, tradition	?	yes	The foreskin is pulled forward and previously partially cut off with a sharp stone, today with a razor blade or a scalpel. If carried out by a surgeon, parts of both skin layers are usually removed and, if necessary, then sutured.	partially, after puberty mostly completely bare glans, visible scar, loss of sensitive tissue	very strong (with anesthesia: no pain, but possibly unpleasant after-effects)	no or rarely
Partial circumcision (at least half to 2/3)	in western countries	a doctor	because problems arose that the doctor could not find any other way to solve	varying, mostly in children	yes	The foreskin is pulled forward and previously partially cut off with a sharp stone, today with a razor blade or a scalpel. If carried out by a surgeon, parts of both skin layers are usually removed and, if necessary, then sutured.	partially, after puberty mostly completely bare glans, visible scar, loss of sensitive tissue	very strong (with anesthesia: no pain, but possibly unpleasant after-effects)	today always
Plastic surgery that removes the inner layer of skin	in civilized countries	a doctor	because problems arose that the doctor could not find any other way to solve	varying, mostly in children	yes	the inner foreskin layer is removed, the outer skin layer is folded inward and sewn to the base of the glans	Largely bared glans, great loss of sensitive tissue. The purpose of the technique is to leave a certain reserve of skin and to make the circumcision scar invisible.	no (possibly unpleasant after-effects)	yes
Radical circumcision	in the United States in newborns	most often a gynecologist, sometimes a general practitioner, less often a pediatrician	from an ancient tradition (originally to contain masturbation)	shortly after birth	still often (estimated 57%)	The foreskin is completely cut away (after it has been incised and torn from the glans in babies and toddlers). Various devices are usually used for this. The frenulum is also sometimes removed.	completely bared glans, great loss of sensitive tissue, visible scar, mostly missing skin reserve for erections	extremely strong	with babies mostly no
Radical circumcision	in Canada and Australia	a doctor, mostly a gynecologist	from an ancient tradition (originally to contain masturbation)	shortly after birth	seldom	The foreskin is completely cut away (after it has been incised and torn from the glans in babies and toddlers). Various devices are usually used for this. The frenulum is also sometimes removed.	completely bared glans, great loss of sensitive tissue, visible scar, mostly missing skin reserve for erections	extremely strong	with babies mostly no
Radical circumcision	in South Korea	a doctor	to emulate the Americans	mostly before puberty	very often	The foreskin is completely cut away (after it has been incised and torn from the glans in babies and toddlers). Various devices are usually used for this. The frenulum is also sometimes removed.	completely bared glans, great loss of sensitive tissue, visible scar, mostly missing skin reserve for erections	extremely strong	with babies mostly no
Radical circumcision	on the Philippines	a doctor	from traditional tradition (originally to contain masturbation), e.g. as a replacement for traditional superincision	usually between the ages of 8 and 10 years	often	The foreskin is completely cut away (after it has been incised and torn from the glans in babies and toddlers). Various devices are usually used for this. The frenulum is also sometimes removed.	completely bared glans, great loss of sensitive tissue, visible scar, mostly missing skin reserve for erections	extremely strong	with babies mostly no
Subincision, lighter type (mostly in connection with previous circumcision)	some Aboriginal tribes in Australia	an amateur	Initiation rite	?	?	The urethra is sliced at the bottom of the penis.	Urinating while standing becomes impossible.	strong	no
Subincision, heavier type (mostly in connection with previous circumcision)	some Aboriginal tribes in Australia	an amateur	Initiation rite	?	?	The urethra is completely cut open from the base of the penis to the glans.	The appearance and function of the penis are massively changed. Urinating while standing becomes impossible.	extremely strong	no
Molting of the entire penis	Africa, a tribe on the Red Sea	an amateur	Initiation rite	?	probably not practiced since around 1900	The entire penile skin, including a piece of skin of the pubic mound, is torn off.	serious mutilation	extraordinarily strong	no

See also

• Boys
• Sexuality
• Violence
• Genital mutilation
• Videos about genital mutilation
• Selbstbestimmung