Chemical castration consists of the administration of antiandrogenic drugs that cancel the functions of the male hormones and, therefore, also the sexual behavior of the man. It is not, therefore, a form of sterilization, since the effects are reversible and there are no physical alterations as in surgical castration, which consists of the removal of testicles or ovaries. This last procedure was widely used in Europe in the mid-twentieth century in convicted persons of sexual assault, but it was proven that it was not an effective treatment, as many offenders persisted in their sexual assaults.
In September 1996, California became the first American state to approve chemical castration as a mandatory requirement for some child molesters to be eligible for parole. Today, it also applies to repeat offenders, who receive regular doses of progestin. The treatment manages to reduce testosterone levels so, in theory, it also causes a decrease in libido and the convulsive sexual fantasies that these types of offenders have. Other countries such as Russia and Poland also force sex offenders who have abused minors to undergo chemical castration.
A heated ethical debate
Many countries have considered introducing this technique to prevent recurrence of sexual assault, but its application has sparked heated ethical and medical debates. In Spain, chemical castration is voluntary, that is, the prisoner himself has to request it. One of the most notorious cases was that of Alejandro Martínez Singul, known as ‘the second rapist of the Eixample’. This repeat offender voluntarily requested to undergo drug inhibition of sexual desire after serving his last sentence and being released in 2013.
Some human rights organizations have taken a position against chemical castration, considering it a cruel and degrading method. This was the case of Amnesty International, which in 2016 and on the occasion of the approval of this practice in Indonesia issued a statement in which Papan Ayatolá, a researcher of the organization, affirmed that “forced chemical castration is a breach of the prohibition of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, established in international law ”.
It must also be taken into account that chemical castration is not a long-term solution for repeat offenders, since it does not teach a behavior but rather represses the impulses, and once the drug is stopped, they reappear. It is a treatment, experts emphasize, which should always be accompanied by adequate psychological therapy.
Prostate cancer treatment
Less well known is the application of chemical castration as a treatment for prostate tumors in advanced stages to help curb the disease, and also as a temporary complementary therapy in curable tumors that are also being treated with radiotherapy.
Hormone therapy is based on the fact that androgens (male hormones) also stimulate the growth of prostate cancer cells. For this reason, by suppressing its activity, although it is not possible to cure the cancer, at least it is possible to reduce the size of the tumor or slow down its growth rate.
