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Rapists would receive chemical castration punishment for 2 years
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Social Affairs Minister Khofifah Indar Parawansa (center), accompanied by Attorney General HM Prasetyo (left), Women Empowerment and Child Protection Minister Yonana Yembise (second left) and Health Minister Nila Moeloek (second right), speaks to journalists after a cabinet meeting at the Presidential Office in Jakarta. (CABINET SECRETARIAT)
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span style="line-height: 1.6em;">Chemical castration of child rapists will see perpetrators undergo a two-year medical process following release from incarceration as stipulated in a recently implemented regulation in lieu of law (Perppu) on the protection of children against sexual violence.
"The additional punishment of chemical castration will be carried out for two years after their release, where perpetrators' identities would also be publicized, and they would be installed with an electronic tracking device," Social Affairs Minister Khofifah Indar Parawansa told journalists on Monday.
The chemical castration punishment would apply to recidivist rapists as a form of "therapy", Khofifah continued, adding that such treatment was done to prevent perpetrators from committing the same crime again.
The procedure, which consists of regularly injecting antiandrogenic drugs to suppress a man's sexual drive, aimed to protect potential victims from falling prey to pedophiles, she said.
According to the minister, legalization of chemical castration has been effective in reducing sexual violence rates in Germany, England, and South Korea.
Further, she said rehabilitation for victims, the family of victims and also perpetrators would be conducted as well.
The minister was addressing journalists on the sidelines of a hearing on violence against children at the House of Representatives conducted by House Commission VIII overseeing religious and social affairs.
Khofifah, referring to research findings by the ministry, pointed out that boys were the most vulnerable to incidences of violence.
"Boys experience more violence in the form of physical, psychological and sexual abuse," Khofifah said.
She said such incidents happen in school environments by way of bullying committed by fellow peers and friends in their social circle.
Khofifah said 40 percent of bullying cases among boys led to suicide, while girls are most likely to be molested in daylight in public spaces.
Girls were also vulnerable to sexual abuse at home, perpetrated by relatives, she said.
Khofifah said victims of violence were more likely to conduct the same type of abuse they experienced.
"All sectors must undergo improvements for the protection of children, including raising awareness to teachers, fellow students, parents and the public to prevent such cases from happening," she added.
On May 25, President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo signed the Perppu that provides harsher punishment for perpetrators of sexual violence against children, including the implementation of capital punishment and life imprisonment.
The regulation has raised the maximum prison sentence to 20 years, while the minimum has been set to 10 years.
Identities of rapists would also be publicly announced following their release while re-offending rapists would receive chemical castration, during which time their location would be monitored by a tracking device. (dan)
