Peru plans chemical castration of men who rape minors

A three-year-old girl's rape case shocked the country recently further pushing the government to incorporate stringent punishment against paedophile rapists.

Lima (Peru): Facing an increase in cases of minors being raped, the Peruvian government is in the process of passing a law under which child rapists will be chemically castrated after they complete their prison sentences.

The country's government announced Wednesday it will pass a bill backing the chemical castration of child rapists, reports said. A three-year-old girl's rape case shocked the country recently further pushing the government to incorporate stringent punishment against paedophile rapists. Justice Minister Felix Chero, according to reports, said the bill had been approved by the Council of Ministers.

"Today, at the ministerial meeting, we've approved the bill that implements a specialised medical treatment to suppress the libido of rapists of minors. It is the bill that many people call chemical castration; many say the name does not correspond; however, national and international literature defines it as such. This bill has been approved and will be sent to the Congress of the Republic for analysis and discussion and, if deemed appropriate, approved," the minister was quoted saying by news agency Associated Press.

The chemical castration procedure consists of administering drugs that reduce libido and inhibit sexual desire. Prime Minister Anibal Torres argued the move would be an effective deterrent. Rape of minors is the second most common crime committed by inmates serving sentences in Peru's prisons, according to official data. Anibal Torres, the country's Prime Minister meanwhile said that while no penalty will resolve the issue, the punishment will greatly reduce the commission of the crime.

"No penalty under the criminal code will resolve the issue but will deter the perpetration of the crime. There are countries where these crimes are punishable by death. However, it does not mean that the problem gets solved and that the crimes disappear, although it greatly reduces the commission of the crime. That is the function of criminal law. Rape of minors has increased enormously in our country," he said.