New Delhi: The fervent pleas for chemical castration of those accused of rape have been getting louder. People are demanding stringent punishment for rapists on the prowl in the alleys of the city.
The idea stemmed early this year, when Additional Sessions Judge Kamini Lau had suggested exploring the option of ‘chemical castration’ as a punitive measure for rapists. She had sentenced a man to imprisonment for his “entire life” for raping his six-year-old niece and directed the prison authorities not to give him any remission.
Lau had created a stir when it asked legislators to consider castration as an alternative punishment, especially for child abusers.
“Castration is the most befitting sentence which can be imposed on any pedophile or serial offender. But the hands of this court are tied as the statute does not provide for it. Indian legislators are yet to explore this as an alternative to conventional sentencing,” she had observed.
The law of the land, she said, only provided for imprisonment not less than seven years but may be for life or for a term, which may extend to 10 years.
This was not the only time that the judge had advocated taking strong measures against rapists. Delivering judgment in a case in April, where a man was accused of raping his 14-year-old step daughter for a period of four years, Lau had termed rape as a “growing menace.”
Expressing helplessness in handing down a stronger punishment, she said: “My conscience tells me that this is a crime which is required to be addressed differently and a full public debate with regard to imposition of castration (both surgical and chemical) for the offence of rape and molestation is the crying need of the hour.”
“It is time that we as a Civil Society stand up and also think of a law similar to the one existing in many developed countries providing for chemical and surgical castrations,” she added.
Lau had directed that her judgment be sent to the Ministry of Law and also the National Commission for Women to consider her suggestion of castration. However, her suggestion remains on hold.
Clarifying the term, Dr Vishwas Malhotra, a surgeon, said, “Surgical castration does not mean removal of the penis, but is the irreversible surgical removal of the testosterone producing testes. Similarly, chemical castration involves injecting anti-androgen drugs that suppress the production of testosterone as long as the drugs are administered.
“This reduces the person’s sexual drive. But the injections need to be repeated after a certain period, which is usually between one and three months.”
The doctor informed that the most common drugs used for chemical castration in European countries is cyproterone acetate, while medroxy progesterone acetate is preferred in the US.
Many developed countries including, the US, UK and Germany have experimented with chemical castration of rapists and molestors, particularly serial offenders, child rapists and pedophiles.
Castration around the world
• United States: Eight states – California, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Montana, Oregon, Texas and Wisconsin - allow chemical castration.
• South Korea: In July 2011, enacted law allowing chemical castration of sex offenders attacking children below 16.
• Poland: In 2010, allowed castration of those raping children or family members.
