Government may consider chemical castration for sex offenders, if proven effective: Shanmugam
The Government remains open to considering the use of chemical castration in combating sex crimes, Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam said in a written reply to a parliamentary question on Tuesday (Sept 8).Aljunied GRC MP Gerald Giam asked if the Government would review statutory penalties and increase deterrence in dealing with sexual offences against children and youth."We remain open to considering measures including pharmacological anti-androgen treatments, also known as chemical castration, if it is clear that such measures are effective in bringing down crime rates," Shanmugam, who is also the Coordinating Minister for National Security, said."So far, the evidence is not conclusive on that."He had earlier stressed that the Government takes a serious view of sexual crimes, highlighting the heightened penalties when victims are minors.If found guilty of rape involving a minor under the age of 14, perpetrators face between eight to 20 years' jail and at least 12 strokes of the cane.