Government open to using chemical castration to tackle sex crimes if proven effective: Shanmugam
David Sun
The Straits Times
Sept 8, 2026
The Government is open to considering measures including pharmacological anti-androgen treatments, also known as chemical castrations, if it is clear these are effective in bringing down crime rates.
Home Affairs Minister K. Shanmugam was responding in a written reply on Sept 8 to a question from Gerald Giam (Aljunied GRC) about whether the Ministry of Home Affairs had evaluated measures such as pharmacological anti-androgen treatments and a sex offender register to deter sexual offences against children and young people.
Senior Minister Shanmugam, who is also the Coordinating Minister for National Security, said the Government takes a serious view of sexual crimes and imposes stiff penalties, especially when the victims are minors.
He said there are already heavy penalties that act as a deterrent.
These include up to 20 years’ jail and caning for rape or penetrative sexual assault involving a minor under 14 years old without consent, and up to five years’ jail, a fine and caning for those who molest a minor under 14.
If the minor was hurt or restrained, the offender can be jailed for up to 10 years and caned.
Shanmugam added that there have been several legislative amendments over the years, including the new offence of exploitative sexual penetration of minors between 16 and 18 years old introduced in 2019, and the increase in the maximum jail term for molestation in 2021.
Most recently, the Sentence for Enhanced Public Protection commenced in July, allowing for a serious violent sex offender to be released only if the offender is assessed to no longer pose a threat to the public.
Shanmugam said the Government is open to considering measures such as chemical castration if it is clear they are effective in bringing down crime rates.
However, the evidence is still not conclusive, he said.
Cases of sexual assault in Singapore are increasing, with 762 cases of molestation and 261 rape cases in the first six months of 2026.
This is an average of at least one rape and four molestation cases per day.
On the introduction of a sex offender registry, Shanmugam said the police already maintain a non-public record of those convicted of serious offences, including sexual ones.
This is shared with selected agencies, including the Ministry of Social and Family Development and the Ministry of Education, when screening those applying to roles involving sustained contact with children and young persons.
Shanmugam said such an approach balances the need to safeguard children and the rehabilitation and reintegration efforts of ex-offenders.
Senior Minister of State for Home Affairs Goh Pei Ming said in Parliament on Sept 8 that the Government is considering an expansion of criminal record screening of prospective employees applying for roles involving sustained contact with children and young persons, including in non-regulated sectors.
The move comes after two young children were sexually abused by a self-styled “religious influencer” who conducted religious classes at a mosque without permission.
Shanmugam said more details about this possible expansion will be shared when ready.
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