Can child rapists be castrated?: PMO sends women lawyers’ plea to WCD ministry

The dormant debate on need to castrate those convicted of raping minors has reignited.

With rapes of minor girls in Kathua and Unnao triggering nationwide outrage, the Prime Ministers Office (PMO) has forwarded to the women and child development ministry for 'appropriate action', a plea by a group of female lawyers of the Supreme Court (SC) seeking chemical castration as a deterrent punishment.

The representation seeks introduction of new legislative provisions by Parliament in addition to the recently introduced death penalty and other existing penal provisions in view of the alarming increase in sexual abuse of small girls and boys.

The cases of child abuse and rape are increasing at an alarming speed and appropriate legislation in this regard is, therefore, urgently required. The law-making is in the domain and wisdom of the legislature. We pray that Parliament may kindly give serious attention to the points highlighted above and make an appropriate legislation at the earliest including chemical castration apart from death penalty," said the representation filed by Supreme Court Women Lawyers Association (SCWLA).

Women and child development minister Maneka Gandhi recently piloted an ordinance allowing courts to pronounce the death penalty for those convicted of raping children below the age of 12.

A representation received in this office from Supreme Court Women Lawyers Association is forwarded herewith for action as appropriate. Reply may be sent to the petitioner and a copy of the same may be uploaded on the portal," the PMO said in its reply.

Apart from the Kathua and Unnao incidents, the plea submitted to PMO by Mahalakshmi Pavani, Bhakti Pasrija Sethi and Prerna Kumari, president, vice-president and general secretary of the SCWLA, also refers to recent rape of a 28-day-old baby by a 25-year-old man, sexual assault on a 8-month-old and also gang rape of two minors in the second week of October 2016 all in Delhi.

The latest NCRB data for the year 2017 has registered a sharp spike in cases of rape against children even as overall crimes against children have increased. According to the NCRB data for 2017, incidents of rape of children have increased by over 82% compared to 2016.

It is for the first time that such a sharp increase in sexual assaults on children has been registered. The highest rise has been registered in UP, where figures have trebled.

Also read: What is Unnao rape case and why CBI is probing it