Denial prevents people from understanding that mutilation is a wrongful act. No respectable caring person would cause pain, harm, or disrespect a child. A person who comes to acknowledge, address, and redresss wrongdoing is noble. A cut is not symbolic. A cut is real.
Symbolism lies deep in the dungeons of the human psyche.
We have yet to explore what lies in the human psyche that compels people to sexually torture and maim their children. A person is born pure. Nothing can make a person more pure. Mortal wounds do not make a person more pure. No religion, belief, culture, or person, or authority owns the genitals of another person.