Chemically castrating sex offenders

[Irritateddaily]

Just seen this news article www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cql22xwg62vo on BBc news regarding the current trial on voluntary chemical castration for violent criminals. Some unanswered questions - is early release guaranteed if they agree to this ?

I haven't looked into this further yet, but thought it was quite interesting.

Aibu to think chemical castration for early release or violent criminals isn't going to ensure no repeat offences ? - we know that a lot of violent sexual crimes are done to feel power/ in control not always inherently sexual satisfaction so is this going to stop repeat offences?

It's all very we cutting their disgusting dicks off which I'm all for but r (can't even type that heinous word) can be committe d with an object it doesn't necessarily have to be penis. Paedophiles would still be able to communicate their filth download and share child abuse images.

It seems wrong headed to me. Rape and SA are not always (rarely?) About desire and arousal.

Castration will not remove hate and the need for power and control.

Doesn't it work by deadening their drive to do these things chemically? It's not physically cutting anything.

If so, we could also inject them with oxytocin or similar neurochemicals that produce a long term slow release flood of benign, calm mood, so they get no urge to control or maim others. That could be a far more productive way of managing brutal people in society. Turn them into nice citizens with hefty injections of feelgood hormones.

@ladyofshertonabbasIt does lower their "sexual drive", no idea how else to word that. Also if they are volunteering it would indicate a want to get better.

However, I was R by a woman who used objects. So I get what other pp are saying and agree.

Exactly, chemical castration is administered via drug and aims to remove sexual desire, the ability for erection etc etc. There's no surgical intervention. However studies on violent sex crimes does indicate that these individuals are looking for power and control not sexual satisfaction so how does this help?

Surprised at my own reaction to this because previously, emotionally, I thought it a good idea but now it could be a reality I'm very uneasy about setting a precedent of corporal punishment, of the state assuming control of people's bodies as punishment.

If its voluntary I can't see a huge take up.

My preference would be for mandatory MECHANICAL castration at time of sentence.

It would be chemical castration, not an amputation!

Hasn't it been proven that chemical castration doesn't work?

Give everyone a cat - cats are great for oxytocin ❤️🥰 🐈

I’m not convinced that rape is always about power. I know it’s what people always say but I actually do think we are giving rapists too much credit here. I suspect sexual violence is often about sex.

Just castrate the fuckers properly.

I think it’s described in a deliberately provocative way.

People on weight loss drugs such as Mounjaro have often also experienced a decline in desires for addictive behaviours. If we described a drug that would reduce the desire to commit sexually motivated crimes I think everyone would be all for it. I don’t know how these drugs work or if there is such a thing though.

I do agree with you, I view it similar to death sentences. Violent sexual crimes are obviously very emotive. But there must be better ways to rehabilitate ex offenders ? I'm assuming there just isn't funding for widespread support plans etc etc given the way parole works in this country

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3565125/

This suggest chemical castration reduces reoffending to 2-5% vs normal recidivism rates of 50%. We should do this, thats a lot fewer people (by which I mean women and children) harmed. This also suggest that behaviour is primarily driven by sex drive not just some way of obtaining power over people. Yes rape is used to humiliate but sometimes men just want sex and they don’t care how they get it or can only be aroused by forcing someone.

I understand the argument against it but we have centred the rights of criminals to such an extent that it’s practically legal to rape in the UK now. We need to push back against this. And no I don’t think a rapists rights to bodily autonomy outweigh the rights of woman and children to not be harmed. I just couldn’t give a shit anymore, they have already proved they can’t function in society wothout harming people, we need to start protecting the majority from the minority. I never would have taken this position 20 years ago but here we are, I’m fed up.

This is really interesting, thank you

They are but vile people do vile things with cats. They need their oxytocin shots before they are allowed a cat.

I miss our cat so much. We are moving house this year. As soon as we settle in, I am off to the local cat rescue.

Let them cuddle a cat first to get the oxytocin flowing, then they get to take the cat home.

Now I want another cat 🐈 😁

Hope you get yours soon!!!

Might work for those who really really do not want to commit an offence in the first place - those are rare, and rarer still for them to come forward and seek help before an offence is committed, for a variety of reasons.

As a way of suggesting it is ok to reduce sentences/release early, violent rapists etc - it's terrible.

If the desire is more about control/power/causing terror/pain, it'll stop nothing.

It says surgical castration reduces rates to 2-5%.
It's a discussion piece on physicians views, they haven't done a trial on chemical castration. The outcomes from this current research will be interesting. Of course it won't show the effect of chem castration alone- part of the reduction in reoffending (if that happen) would be that it's a self selected group who are extremely motivated to stop themselves reoffending (by volunteering).

We just need more prisons and stronger sentences and none of the concurrent sentence nonsense. If prisons can turn a proft, they're costing too much.

I don't really care if they can be rehabilitated, I'd rather they were off the streets.

All this stuff about rehabilitation of sex offenders feels like conversion therapy - you are what you are.

Agree with this. These drugs should not be used as an excuse for early release. As others pps have written, it doesn't remove the desire for power and control.

The tories left a mess in the prisons system. Trying to work out a way to release sex offenders early should not be the answer to that problem.

The state does this already by imprisoning people.

I am supportive of this in general but think a LOT more prisons are needed. We don’t need early release. We need more prisons and more men to behave.