Bertie there are threads on Mumsnet all the time by concerned mothers wondering how to proceed with regards to late circumcision of their sons for medical reasons, questions about how to teach boys how to clean their foreskins and queries about infections of the penis. As this is largely a UK site, I don't think that those problems are unique to North America.
The circumcision decision is a difficult one for parents because it's time sensitive. It's quick, easy and uncomplicated if done early (as a baby) so in this case parents have to make a choice on behalf of their child. My husband and I did our research and worked with the facts and information we had to make our decision. DH (a Masters-educated professional) is circumcised and he's too very happy with his bits and the fact that his parents made that decision for him when he was too young to do so (as are most North American men of his age)...The procedure itself is absolutely in NO WAY like what you seen in those horrible videos that remind me of those horrifying, scare-mongering images propagated by the pro-life brigade. It was performed by a trained, skilled professional in a sterile surgical environment and caused no more distress to my babies than their infant vaccinations, heel pricks or their first baths in the hospital! There is always so much hysteria and frothing over this subject and I think it's possibly fear generated or perhaps because it's an unknown subject matter to most people in Europe? I'm not sure. All I know is that my kids are happy, healthy, perfect little boys (well, most of the time) and the notion that circumcision is child abuse or mutilation is nonsense (I asked my husband whether he thinks he's mutilated...he thought that was hilarious). I can't speak to the issue of ritualistic or religious circumcisions as I have no knowledge or experience of this but I thought it might be interesting to some of you to hear the POV of a non-religious British/Canadian family who chose to circumcise their sons.
Last week my 5 year old fell down on the sidewalk and scraped his knee. He was crying and I had to make a split second decision about whether or not to clean his knee with the "stingy" antiseptic or just leave it as is. I decided that it needed to be cleaned to lower the chance of it getting infected. It was over in a second and I patched him up with a Spiderman band-aid. It was my choice, not his, but I think I made the right call 
. I'm wondering now if someone might think that was child abuse because I didn't let him have autonomy over his body? Hmmm...