S'pore govt open to using chemical castration to tackle sex crimes if proven effective: Shanmugam

In a written reply to Workers' Party MP Gerald Giam, Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam said that the government is open to considering measures including chemical castrations, if it is clear that such measures are effective in bringing down crime rates.

However, Shanmugam noted that thus far, the evidence is not conclusive on the effectiveness.

He was responding to Giam's question on whether statutory penalties for major sexual offences against children and young persons, such as rape, penetrative sexual assault, and outrage of modesty, will be reviewed in view of recent increases in reported cases.

Giam had also asked whether pharmacological anti-androgen treatments (also known as chemical castration) and a sex offender register as additional measures to increase deterrence and reduce recidivism have been considered.

Shanmugam said that the government takes a serious view of sexual crimes and imposes stiff penalties, in particular when the victims are minors.

He outlined the current punishments in place.

Rape, or penetrative sexual assault, involving a minor under the age of 14 without consent, is punishable with a mandatory imprisonment term of not less than eight years and up to 20 years, with a minimum of 12 strokes of the cane.

Outrage of modesty against a minor under the age of 14 is punishable with up to five years’ imprisonment, fine, and caning.

If the minor was hurt or restrained during the commission of the offence, there will be a mandatory minimum imprisonment term of three years, which may extend up to 10 years, and mandatory caning.

He noted that these are heavy penalties, which send a strong signal to deter such offences.

Shanmugam added that several legislative amendments have been introduced over the years, including increasing the maximum imprisonment term for outrage of modesty in 2021, and more recently, commencing the Sentence for Enhanced Public Protection on Jul. 31.

The SEPP deals with offenders who have committed serious violent or sexual offences, including rape and sexual penetration of minors, and who pose a substantial risk of reoffending.

Under the SEPP regime, an offender will be detained for a minimum of between five and 20 years, as determined by the court.

An updated risk assessment will be conducted by a psychiatrist, and the offender will only be released if the Minister for Home Affairs assesses him or her to no longer pose a threat to the public.

To Giam's point, Shanmugam said they remain open to considering other measures, including chemical castration, if it is clear that such measures are effective in bringing down crime rates.

He, however, noted that the evidence so far is not conclusive.

As for the sex offender register, Shanmugam noted that the police maintains a non-public record of persons convicted of serious offences, including sexual offences.

They share these records with selected agencies, including the Ministry of Social and Family Development and the Ministry of Education, when screening individuals applying to roles involving sustained contact with children and young persons.

He said this balances the need to safeguard children with the rehabilitation and reintegration efforts of ex-offenders.

To further strengthen safeguards for children, the government has been considering the possible expansion of the scope of screening to cover more types of roles involving contact with children and young persons, including whether to introduce voluntary screening for unregulated sectors.

Shanmugam said they will share more details when ready.