Singapore open to chemical castration for sex offenders if evidence proves efficacy

Singapore remains open to considering chemical castration as a measure to tackle sex crimes if there is clear evidence that it is effective in reducing crime, Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam has said.

However, the evidence so far was inconclusive, he said in a written parliamentary reply on Tuesday.

“We remain open to considering measures including pharmacological anti-androgen treatments, also known as chemical castrations, if it is clear that such measures are effective in bringing down crime rates. So far, the evidence is not conclusive on that,” Shanmugam said.

Shanmugam, who is also the coordinating minister for national security, was responding to a question from Member of Parliament Gerald Giam on whether the Ministry of Home Affairs had evaluated such treatments or a sex offender register as additional measures to deter crime and reduce reoffending.

Giam also asked whether statutory penalties for major sexual offences against children and young people would be reviewed in light of recent increases in reported cases.

In response, Shanmugam said the government took a serious view of sexual crimes and imposed stiff penalties, particularly when the victims were minors.