LIMA: The Peru government is all set to enact a law to allow for chemical castration as a penalty for raping children. A bill regarding the same will be presented in the parliament soon. The castration will be an additional penalty and will be applicable for all age groups. The move comes after the rape of a three-year-old girl, which had led to strong protests in the country. This form of penalty already exists in countries including Pakistan.

However, women’s organizations in Peru has come out in protests against the bill. What the country needs is a system of speedy punishment for offenders. We are saddened that the government does not understand what sexual violence is, they said. The main reason for the criticism is that there is no assurance that those who are subjected to chemical castration, will no longer commit crimes. There is also a growing demand for death penalty instead of castration, for those caught in rape cases, in the country.

This is not the first time that similar talks have emerged in Peru. In 2018, there was a strong demand to subject rape accused to chemical castration. However, the law was not implemented.

Chemical castration

Chemical castration is castration via anaphrodisiac drugs, to reduce libido and sexual activity, to treat cancer, or otherwise. Unlike surgical castration, where the gonads are removed through an incision in the body, chemical castration does not remove organs, nor is it a form of sterilization. It is generally considered reversible when treatment is discontinued although permanent effects in body chemistry are rare.

When used on males, these drugs can reduce sex drive, compulsive sexual fantasies and capacity for sexual arousal. Life-threatening side effects are rare, but some users show increases in body fat and reduced bone density, which increase long-term risk of cardiovascular disease and osteoporosis, respectively. Hence, it is often criticized to be a violation of human rights.