Chemical castration considered to punish pedophiles

18 May, 2011 21:43 / Updated 13 years ago

Globally activists are seeking a new approach to handling convicted pedophiles – chemical castration. Many say current laws are too weak and sexual predators often re-offend.

Others, including many convicted sexual predators, disagree. They feel castration is too harsh. Nevertheless at least nine US states consider chemical castration in pedophilia cases. Derek Logue is a convicted sex offender and the author of “Once Fallen”. He explained that those on the sex offender registry already lose their civil rights and castration would further erode those liberties.“While it reduces the sex drive, it does not completely eliminate sexual performance,” he said. “A person can still perform sexually and there is a physiological function that is not being taken into consideration.”Just reducing the sex drive does not eliminate the desire or need to have sex, Logue argued. Castration would not solve the problem, just alter it. He further contended that chemical castration eliminates the ability to procreate, which he said is a fundamental constitutional right.