SINGAPORE: The Government is open to considering measures including pharmacological anti-androgen treatments, also known as chemical castrations, if it is clear such measures are effective in bringing down crime rates.
Home Affairs Minister K. Shanmugam was responding in a written reply on Tuesday (Sept 8) to a question from Gerald Giam (Aljunied GRC) about whether the Ministry of Home Affairs had evaluated measures such as pharmacological anti-androgen treatments, and a sex offender register to deter sexual offences against children and young people.
Senior Minister Shanmugam, who is also the Coordinating Minister for National Security, said the Government takes a serious view of sexual crimes and imposes stiff penalties, especially when the victims are minors.
He said there are already heavy penalties that act as a deterrent.
These include up to 20 years’ jail and caning for rape or penetrative sexual assault involving a minor under 14 years old without consent, and up to five years’ jail, a fine and caning for those who molest a minor under 14.
If the minor was hurt or restrained, the offender can be jailed for up to 10 years and caned.
Shanmugam added there have been several legislative amendments over the years, including the new offence of exploitative sexual penetration of minors between 16 and 18 years old introduced in 2019, and the increasing of the maximum jail term for molest in 2021.
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