What is the legal status of performing such rituals in Australia?
Darat, this is the biggest issue about Australia that bothers me. I'm all for our indigenous people keeping their culture intact but I don't think the bureaucrats know how to deal with certain aspects of it. Some of the traditions are very cruel and could be deemed "uncivilised". Even "payback" still occurs, where people can get a spearing in the leg if found by the elders to be guilty of certain things.
This circumcision is child abuse, I have worked in a hospital in the Northern Territory and many things go unreported. Not all, but many. People just shrug their shoulders and say they should not interfere with another culture.
Also the Northern Territory government employ "liasion officers" at hospitals, who they ask for advice on traditional matters - most of the time the officers advise the non indigenous hospital staff to keep out of the "mens business", "womens business" etc....
I hope this was reported to the police, personally I am not hopeful of a prosecution.
The Northern Territory's Department of Public Prosecutions says that the rights of women to live a live free of violence perpetrated by their husbands/family members takes precedence over traditional law.
http://www.nt.gov.au/justice/dpp/html/guidelines/aboriginal_customary_law.shtml
This is the first time I have seen a media report on botched circumcision, I am sure the DPP could not ignore it.
The boys are usually aged 14-16 when they are circumcised.
