Last week, the Justice Secretary announced an expansion of a voluntary chemical castration scheme. She also said she would be exploring a national rollout of voluntary, or even mandatory, chemical castration for some men convicted of sexual offences.
We want the Government to take every possible action to prevent child sexual abuse, before it happens. We advocate for a huge range of evidence-based changes. But will this work?
Language matters – and this language isn’t clear
‘Chemical castration’ grabs the headlines, but it’s not helpful framing. We’re not talking about irreversible physical mutilation. Chemical castration refers to medication that lowers testosterone or reduces sexual rumination.
It’s offered on a voluntary basis to help prevent reoffending, particularly for those with intrusive or overwhelming sexual feelings. It can be offered in prison, on release, and more generally, for those in the community who have not been to prison.
This medication can work for some, but it’s not a silver bullet
We work directly with thousands of people each year who are at risk of sexually abusing children, or who have done so. Many of them reach out to us through our anonymous Stop It Now helpline (0808 1000 900), because they’ve recognised they need help to change. Some are already known to the authorities and in the criminal justice system; some are not. We support them to manage their sexual thoughts and behaviour, so that they do not engage in illegal, abusive behaviour, and build a life that doesn’t include harming children.
Some people, in some circumstances, may find medication helpful to manage their sexual behaviour. Medication can be an important pillar in supporting some to live a life that protects children from sexual harm. It should be part of a wider support plan, which also includes a whole host of other interventions.
There is no evidence that mandatory medication would work. While medication can be a useful option for some who have offended, it is not an easy, quick fix to apply across the board.
It’s vital that the process is managed skilfully, on a case-by-case basis – not applied broadly to everyone who has committed a sexual offence. The evidence is that it’s most effective for men who present the highest level of reoffending risk, because they have a particularly strong sexual attraction to children, or because they are very preoccupied by their sexual thoughts. This is not the reality for everyone who commits a sexual offence.
Preventing child sexual abuse goes beyond the criminal justice system
There are many different motivations for why people sexually abuse children, not all of them sexual. This is why medication won’t work for some individuals who present a risk of harm to children. We need a wide range of approaches to prevent abuse from happening.
In addition, only a minority of people who offend are identified and held to account. A fraction of the people who sexually offend even enter the criminal justice system, to be considered for such medication. Medication will therefore only ever be a small part of preventing harm. Prevention needs to be hardwired into our society as a whole, not tacked on to the end of a prison sentence.
We need services that go beyond the criminal justice system. For those who need to manage their sexual thoughts or behaviour, confidential support services like our anonymous Stop It Now helpline (0808 1000 900) can be a lifeline. More than 3000 people contacted us in the last year, asking for help to manage their own thoughts and behaviour towards children.
Child sexual abuse is not inevitable – but people need to know that the support is available to help them take action to protect children.
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