Danish municipality wants to prevent religious circumcision. The Jewish community fears stigma. – Our Country
– It can have consequences for both physical and mental health to be circumcised, and therefore the child must be allowed to consent before it is scored, says Lolan Marianne Ottesen to Kristeligt Dagblad, who wrote about the case first.
Ottesen is a member of the social and health committee in Ballerup municipality in Denmark, and represents the party Socialdemokratiet.
Religious circumcision of boys is legal in Denmark, as in Norway. There is still skepticism about the practice among many, and in Ballerup municipality, for the first time, political decisions have been made that aim to prevent it.
[ Da menigheten skulle flytte, fant de et historisk objekt med tydelig beskjed til Hitler ]
The right to decide over one’s own body
The decision, which received support from everyone except one in the municipal council, says that the municipality must inform parents about the risks that may accompany circumcision.
I also state that the decision, based on the principle of the child’s right to decide over his own body, calls for circumcision with religious or cultural grounds to be postponed until the child can decide on the intervention itself.
It has not been decided how the decision will be followed up in practice. Opposite Kristeligt Dagblad, Ottesen points to, among others, health nurses, educators and midwives who, through their contact with family members, can spread information.
Fear ethnic profiling
– How will one do this without pointing out which citizens are Jews and Muslims?
It wins camp for the Jewish Community Henri Goldstein. He believes that there will be ethnic profiling on the part of the municipality and that this will be stigmatizing for those concerned.
– We really do not want to see Jews pointed out as a political focus area for health nurses.
Goldstein, who is himself a doctor, also feared that such a decision could lead to illegal circumcisions outside the health service.
– Eg. fears that this may lead to health inequality because Jewish and Muslim parents will avoid seeking health care.
[ Kommunalt utvalg fastholder: Konservative kristne kan ikke få kulturstøtte ]
Not applicable with a ban in Norway
The rules for circumcision in Denmark are essentially the same the Norwegian rules. The last time a proposal to ban ritual circumcision of children was up in the Storting was in 2014. At that time, a large majority voted against the proposal.
In 2015, Norway passed a law on ritual circumcision which, among other things, will ensure the right to have the intervention carried out in the public health service. The basis for this was to ensure greater security around the practice.
There have been debates in several parties about banning ritual circumcision of boys in Norway, but only the Progress Party has programmed such a position today.
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Act on circumcision in Norway
- Circumcision should be performed by a doctor, or with a doctor present.
- The child should receive adequate pain relief before, during and after the procedure.
- Parents are entitled to information about, among other things, side effects of the procedure before it was performed
- Boys who are able to form their own views must have information about the procedure, and have the right to have their say. Ritual circumcision can not take place against the will of the boy
- Circumcision of girls is forbidden
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[ – Pietismen i enkelte miljøer har ødelagt kristendommen ]