Is this abuse? Why or why not? Is it worse than circumcision?
@PointlessQuestions (15397)
United States
February 1, 2013 8:58pm CST
This video bothers me, but at the same time we do horrific things to our kids out of customs. This video is forcing a 3 year old to get a tattoo. Someone in the comments makes a good point about us who find this to be abusive being hypocrites because we get our male babies circumcised and we pierce our little girl's ears without their consent. It's really made me think about what we generally think is normal to do to our children out of custom.
http://youtu.be/k0MaV2lRFuw
Granted, tattooing your baby isn't a recognized custom like circumcisions boys. We wouldn't think about circumcisions our girls like they do in some countries.
I find it terrible, but I notice the baby is only crying when they are doing the tattoo. When they stop the baby stops crying. I wonder if its really painful or if he just doesn't want to be held down.
When I was a nurse, I always hated assisting with circumcisions. I had to strap the babies in a restraint called a papoose so the doc could do the circumcision. One doc said it isn't that painful, the baby just doesn't like being held down.
My former husband had to get circumcised as an adult. It was very painful for him. He was in pain for about 6 weeks.
I guess I'm asking you if you feel this is any more abusive than the things we do to our babies such as circumcision and ear piercing? Please state why you feel one way or the other.
3 people like this
17 responses
@LovingMyBabies (85288)
• Valdosta, Georgia
2 Feb 13
I think this is much more abusive than circumcision and ear piercing. For one, both of those occur when they are too young to remember the pain they went through. That right there makes a big difference too me. Plus circumcision from what doctors say is for health reasons, it is more sanitary and more healthy to have it done.
Giving a young child a tattoo is wrong to me. It is very painful and this boy will probably remember it for a long long time. I have not forgotten very painful things from when I was a young child, but getting my ears pierced as a baby no I don't remember that so it has not scarred me for life or anything...
A tattoo to me is something that is forever and should not be done to a young child like that. Ears being pierced can be closed if you do not put anything in them, I know as mine had closed when I had not wore earrings for a while... So it is not a forever thing. A circumcision is done to prevent future health problems and is more sanitary so at least with that is for health reasons.
I saw the video and I thought it was SO wrong and SO abusive!! I felt so bad for that child, I wanted to pick him up and hold him. It broke my heart for him. And as for his mother, she should be tortured like he was!!
1 person likes this
@PointlessQuestions (15397)
• United States
2 Feb 13
Hi Loving,
I learned the same thing in nursing school, that circumcisions were done for cleanliness reasons and also that when they married, their wives would be at less risk for cervical cancer. Nowadays docs throw all that out and say its not true. I think docs are up in the air of what they believe about circumcision.
I'm just as angry with the tattoo artist for agreeing to tattoo the child. I would think he has no empathy for the child's pain. It had to be scary. I'm sure it was painful. He stopped crying when the guy stopped and started crying when he started again. I'm sre I would be so afraid of the pain that it would hurt even worse.
@LovingMyBabies (85288)
• Valdosta, Georgia
2 Feb 13
I know doctors change their mind on EVERYTHING every other day! But when I got my son's circumcision done at the time the doctors told me those reasons for getting it done...
As for the tattoo artist, oh yes he was WRONG too but a mother should be protecting their child so I feel its much worse for her to put her son through that since her job is protect and love her child. Which in my opinion she was definitely not doing!!
1 person likes this
@PointlessQuestions (15397)
• United States
2 Feb 13
I know. It seems unreal she is holding this child down. I feel so bad for this child.
@urbandekay (18278)
•
2 Feb 13
You circumcise your boys, we do not and to me it is barbaric
all the best, urban
1 person likes this
@urbandekay (18278)
•
2 Feb 13
I am glad to hear that, at least in this, you are finally catching up 
all the best, urban
all the best, urban@PointlessQuestions (15397)
• United States
2 Feb 13
More and more people are choosing not to. It's been a custom to prevent odors and infections. Not all boys clean under their foreskin as well as they should.
@winterose (39887)
• Canada
3 Feb 13
the tattoo was abuse,
circumcision is not it is part of a religious ceremony even though that doesn't hold water really. But it is considered healthier by many cultures. It is less needed, some people believe it prevents adults from having to get it done in the future.
Is it legal yes
It is necessary sometimes
Does an adult feel the pain, yep much more then a baby does so they say.
It is abuse no
It is hypocritical there is a good case for that.
1 person likes this
@PointlessQuestions (15397)
• United States
3 Feb 13
I agree. I'm thinking with different cultures there are things done to children that seem barbaric to us. Like this tattooing. It may be commonplace in that country. There are countries where young boys prove their manhood by scarring, branding and tattooing done with primitive equipment.
I saw one documentary where young boys put these mitts on that are full of stinging ants that are the most painful kinds of ants. All to move into manhood. Granted, these aren't babies but what we call abuse might not be abuse in other cultures.
@lelin1123 (15595)
• Puerto Rico
2 Feb 13
I have never heard of such a thing in my life. I feel that a tattoo is quite abusive for a three year old child. As a baby boy being circumcisioned or a baby girl getting her ears pierced they are not going to remember the pain like that three year old child will. I would love to know why were they tattooing this poor child. Also, who allows such a thing. This had to be in a foreign country because its not allowed in the states thats for sure. The stupidity of parents today is beyond me and I hope they get in trouble for this abuse.1 person likes this
@PointlessQuestions (15397)
• United States
2 Feb 13
Yeah I think it was Haiti or some place. Not sure just where. The mom must not feel the same way we do. How she could hold him down is beyond me.
@Professor2010 (20162)
• India
2 Feb 13
Thanks for sharing sister
Well in Hinduism there is no circumcision, but piercing of ears and one nostril is common here, it has positive effect if you consider acupuncture, if one has asthma placing a gold pin by piercing ear helps.
I watched the video, it is done on arm, it is not that painful lol.
May i know why your ex had circumcision
1 person likes this
@PointlessQuestions (15397)
• United States
2 Feb 13
He developed phemosis. It's a constriction of the foreskin.
@PointlessQuestions (15397)
• United States
2 Feb 13
My friend had angel tattoos on her back. She has one and a half angels on her back. She had to quit cause it hurt so bad. I think it is terribly brutal to force a baby or toddler to get a tattoo.
@ctryhnny (3460)
• United States
2 Feb 13
I can't imagine parents wanting to put a tattoo on a 3 year old. It must have really hurt him. I got a very tiny tat of a butterfly and as an adult it was very painful. As for circumccision the reason we do it is for cleanliness and it's done when the child is an infant and will forget about the pain in no time. I don't know how it's done but I don't think it's abuse....tattooing a child to me is abuse. Stupid parents!
@Pose123 (21635)
• Canada
2 Feb 13
Hi PointlessQuestions, We do a lot of things to our kids without their consent, but this is awful! I think tattoos are discussing, and they sometimes cause problems later in life. Why would someone do this to a child? Yes I think it is child abuse and so is circumcision unless it is medically necessary. We do not need to impose our superstitions on our children - neither should we impose our opinions on them but of course we do, often without realizing it.The best parents encourage their children to form their own opinions - and later to make their own decisions. Getting back to your discussion, I think people responsible for this child being given a tattoo should be arrested and charged with child abuse. Blessings.
@bunnybon7 (50973)
• Holiday, Florida
2 Feb 13
i think its horrible. i seen it on Anderson live yesterday and they said it was in Brazil. guess its allowed
ive heard tattoos hurt. plus the fact that this baby dont have a say to what he is stuck with the rest of his life.
ive heard tattoos hurt. plus the fact that this baby dont have a say to what he is stuck with the rest of his life.@bunnybon7 (50973)
• Holiday, Florida
2 Feb 13
btw, i heard my first son scream in terrible pain when they circumcised him. you know the kind where they can barely breath scream. so when the second one was born, i said no but wouldnt you know, i had to have it done when he was 4yrs. so the 3rd son i just said, yes get it over with. sometimes parents cant win!
1 person likes this
@PointlessQuestions (15397)
• United States
2 Feb 13
If the dad is circumcised the parents often request it done so baby looks like daddy. It's often the other way around too if the dad is not circumcised. To me, it looks better snipped. I think it's what we get used to seeing as normal. Sometimes it's necessary to snip due to constriction of the foreskin.
@vandana7 (100297)
• India
2 Feb 13
You are right PQ...it is inhuman...
Tattoing here started because people didnt know their names and wanted to carry their identities. Over the years, it developed into designing...and all that goes with it..when it no longer serves the purpose, why it should be around? We can always get temporary tattoos, right? I think people should discourage this altogether..especially since it can mean transfer of AIDS virus..
Circumcisions do not happen in Hindu communities, but if they do out there, it does seem to be a painful process. Somebody was telling me that it was a process initiated to stop the spreading of a certain infection ages ago. Since then several medicines have been discovered, so continuing with the custom does not make sense anymore, does it?
1 person likes this
@UmiNoor (4523)
• Malaysia
2 Feb 13
Isn't there a law against tattooing a minor? Tattooing is painful. How can a parent allow that on a child. It is child abuse. As for circumcising boys, it's for hygienic reasons. The foreskin can become a place for bacterial infections if it's not cleansed thoroughly after urinating so it's more hygienic to have it removed.
@eagletrek2 (5499)
• Kingston, New York
3 Feb 13
Hi if I ever found the right lady and had a son
I would us a mole he kind of like a Rabbi but that
all he does are brits,I even know baby doctors
who use moles for there own kids boys only
it a convent and it all so healthy.I would
see it wrong to see a 3 year old getting a taatto
oy my spell checker not working ok have good day
1 person likes this
@Nursefrai06 (2498)
• Penrith, Australia
3 Feb 13
That sounds really bad and painful. It's not nice that they have to subject babies to these kinds of things. And I believe when you get tattoos, well, there are things you can't really do anymore. And in terms of circumcision, I don't think it's right to have them done on babies either. In our country, every male is circumcised but only when they are nearing 10 years old. I think circumcision when you're a baby won't do very much either. I've heard of that practice before and some of them had o have their circumcision repeated, which Is I think more horrible.
@prabu6683 (113)
• India
3 Feb 13
You need to be very careful when your kids are trying to do those kind of things. If they are doing that then you need to guide them and teach then what is right and what is wrong.
@AmbiePam (92792)
• United States
2 Feb 13
To have a boy circumsized is to also help prevent future health problems. It is a religious act a lot of the time sure, but the health benefits of it are also vast. Much to my surprise. I had this unfortunately explained to me. I say unfortunately because I did not want to know. As for piercing little girl's ears. I don't like that at all. They should be old enough to decide for themselves before doing it. However, a tattoo takes a lot more time than getting your ears pierced and hurts way more. I've had both done. There is no comparison in pain between an ear piercing and a tattoo. And my tattoo was relatively small. Also, there is way more of a health risk with tattoos. You are more likely to catch something from having that done.
@wilsongoddard (7291)
• United States
2 Feb 13
I'm not certain what circumcision has to do with any of these other things. Circumcision is covenant. If my boyfriend and I ever were to have an infant son, there would be a brit milah. Otherwise, what place could he find within our community?
There is no moral obligation to tattoo one's young child. Tattooing is painful to undergo, and it is painful and expensive to have undone. Within Judaism, tattooing is not permissible. "The source of this prohibition is Leviticus 19:28: 'You shall not etch a tattoo on yourselves.' This prohibition applies to all tattoos besides those made for medical purposes, such as to guide a surgeon making an incision" (http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/631046/jewish/Why-Does-Judaism-Forbid-Tattoos.htm).
@pahak627 (4558)
• Philippines
2 Feb 13
Considering that in that country where children get tattoos is their tradition, they will not find it abusive. I understand that we feel it abusive but it's their tradition. I have two boys and they were circumcised when they were already 6 or 7 years old. They were the ones who asked me that they be circumcised. As for my daughter, she also asked me that her ears will be pierced. I didn't allow that these were done when they were just babies.
