The Philosophy of The Circumcision Helpdesk™ and the
International Circumcision Information Reference Centre™ (ICIRC)
The Circumcision Helpdesk™ is a not-for-profit publisher of accurate, medically approved, information about male circumcision and its benefits in terms of health, sexual wellbeing and self-image. We are consulted by individuals, doctors, social services departments and radio/tv producers seeking to find out more about male circumcision and where they can get it performed.
The Helpdesk and ICIRC believe that parents have a right and duty to positively exercise their choice as to whether or not to have an infant son circumcised. They should do this in the light of the growing body of available evidence regarding its medical benefits and minimal potential risks, as well as its social and religious significance within their own community.
Where parents choose not to circumcise their sons at birth we believe they have a duty to provide them with accurate information to make their own decision when they reach their teens. We hope that our publications will aid them in carrying out this duty.
We also believe that doctors have a duty to make circumcision readily and affordably available to those parents and men who request it, without judgementally questioning their motives. All of our own publications (except the List of Circumcisers) may be freely copied by doctors and clinics to give to their patients, provided this is without charge and our copyright and contact details remain unchanged.
To assist parents and men in their decision making, our range of publications includes guidance booklets for those considering circumcision for themselves or their sons, a leaflet answering some of the questions teenagers and young people have about the operation, a leaflet for parents to give to their 7-10 year old sons to explain circumcision and guides to preparing for, and the after-care of, a circumcision.
We also act as distributors for booklets and leaflets, written by an international consortium of practising doctors, researchers and renowned academics, identifying and quantifying the proven benefits and minimal risks of circumcision both for infants and for adult men or teens. Many of the leaflets have been written by independent authors. All copyright holders have given permission for their contents to be reproduced by us.
To assist those who have decided upon a circumcision for themselves or their sons we publish lists of doctors, clinics, etc whom they can approach for the operation. We welcome corrections and additions to these lists. Because of the nature of their content, we do not put these lists online but appropriate information can be sent by e-mail.
A full list of the publications is here. Our leaflets and booklets can be downloaded from this site whilst those of up to 24 pages can be sent by e-mail on request. Booklets of over 24 pages are too large to e-mail in their entirety but we can send relevant extracts. We are constantly striving to increase the range of publications and the languages in which they are available.