Washington, Sept 5: Faced with a rate of 64.2 reported rapes per 100,000 people – more than double the US national average of 25.2 – the US island territory of Guam plans to chemically castrate convicted sex offenders.
The Guam Legislature Thursday passed by a narrow 8-7 vote a controversial bill for the creation of a pilot programme to screen and refer convicted sex offenders to undergo anti-androgen treatment, or chemical castration, one week before their release.
Of the 50 states, only Alaska had a higher rate of rapes – 87.6 per 100,000 people, according to USA Today.
‘‘This is a good day for the island of Guam,’’ said Republican Senator Brant McCreadie, who introduced the bill.
‘‘It’s a stern, loud-and-clear message to any offenders out there that there’s going to be consequences.’’
But Democratic vice-speaker Benjamin J Cruz expressed concern the bill could spark other legislation based on the eye-for-an-eye punishment model.
‘‘Is there going to be a piece of legislation to cut out tongues, cut out hands?’’ he asked. Nine US states – California, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Louisiana, Montana, Oregon, Texas and Wisconsin – have versions of chemical castration in their laws, as reported by CNN.
Both California and Florida, for instance, require mandatory injections for repeat sex offenders and discretionary injections for first-time offenders, although the Florida law has only been invoked a few times since its passage in 1997.
Chemical castration, according to CNN, involves administering medication – via injection or tablets – to take away sexual interest and make it impossible for a person to perform sexual acts.
The effects are reversible, after the person stops taking the drug. After high-profile child rape cases, politicians worldwide tend to pledge a crackdown and harsher punishments for sex offenders, involving chemical castration, CNN said. IANS
