'Explore castration as punishment for rapists'

In a judgment likely to sp­ark debate across the country, Additional Sessions Judge Kamini Lau pointed out that such practice is prevailing in the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and Israel.

“In many developed countries, death penalty applies in cases of aggravated rape indicating the severity with which this crime has been viewed.  In fact, many developed countries like USA, UK, Germany, Israel have experimented with alternatives such as surgical and chemical castration of rapists and molesters, particularly serial offenders, child molesters and paedophiles,” the court said.

California was the first US state to specify the use of chemical castration as a punishment for child molestation, following the passage of a modification to Section 645 of the California Penal Code in 1996, the court said.

“This law stipulates that anyone convicted of child molestation with a minor under 13 years of age may be treated with the drug depo provera if they are on parole, if it is their second offence, the offenders may not reject the treatment,” ASJ Lau said.

Besides California and Florida, at least seven other st­ates, including Georgia, Iowa, Louisiana, Montana, Oregon, Texas and Wisconsin, have experimented with chemical castration.  In Iowa, as in California and Florida, offenders may be sentenced to chemical castration in all cases involving serious sex offences.

On June 25, 2008, Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal signed Senate Bill 144, allowing  judges to sentence convicted rapists to chemical castration.

Forcible castration

Poland had passed a legislation for forcible chemical castration for child molesters coupled with psychic treatment during the term.

Germany and Israel are other examples of the countries where voluntarily chemical castration is a punishment for child rapists.

Similarly, Madoza, a province in Argentina passed a law in March 2010 which rules the use of chemical castration for rapist but they must voluntarily go it.
In its order, the court also noted that sex offences were growing in the country which the administrators found difficult to handle.

“Recent years have seen a spurt in molestation, rape and other sexual offences.  Sexual predators moving around the city spare none.  Be it a child of few months or a senior citizen in a twilight years.  Young girls are not safe even in their own families where fathers and brothers turn predators.  Rape is a growing menace which the administration is finding hard to tackle. Even stringent punishments so prescribed under the law do not appear to be having any deterrence,” the court added.