This article is a commentary on Carlo Bonomi's article on Masson's book The Assault on Truth. It questions Sigmund Freud's prior knowledge of the widespread practice of female genital mutilation of European women at the turn of the century, which was used to control female sexuality (masturbation) and to treat hysteria. The author argues that Freud could have assumed that his patient Emma Eckstein had been the victim of genital mutilation as early as 1892 and not as late as 1897.