Skip to: Content
Skip to: Site Navigation
Skip to: Search

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2009

RSS |

Twitter

|NEXT STORY »

107

Poland OKs Chemical Castration for Pedophiles

Controversial new law also covers incest

By John Johnson| Posted Sep 26, 09 2:54 PM CDT|

(Newser) – A new law in Poland will require convicted pedophiles or those who rape family members to undergo chemical castration when their prison term is up. Human rights groups immediately raised objections, but Poland's prime minister isn't budging—he says the criminals in these cases don't qualify as "human," notes Reuters. "Therefore I don't think protection of human rights should refer to these kind of events."

[Images (1)]

[Quotes (1)]

Pedophiles in Poland will have to undergo chemical castration. (Shutter Stock)

« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow

The purpose of this action is to improve the mental health of the convict, to lower his libido and thereby to reduce the risk of another crime being committed by the same person. - Polish government

« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow

11.20.09

The Health-Care Wars Have Just Begun

11.19.09

Sarah Palin Deserves Some More Attention

107 comments

VIEWING:

freethemall
Sep 26, 09 3:09 PM CDT

If "criminals in these cases don't qualify as 'human,' ", then way are they subject to punishment? We don't punish dangerous animals, but we do control them. And if they become too dangerous we euthanize them. We should do the same to dangerous human animals. Not to punish them, but to prevent them from harming others. Reply

IN RESPONSE:

reasonator
Sep 26, 09 6:11 PM CDT

This is a case where cooler heads need to prevail. There is such a social stigma against these types of crimes (rightly so) that it causes an overreaction in punishment, and then very few people want to speak out against the overreaction because they fear they will be called a child-molestor defender. While I don’t defend the crime, it is unjust to chemically castrate someone after they have served their punishment. Yes, what they did was bad, but you have to give someone a chance after they serve their time to live a normal life and be able to get married and have children, if they desire. Chemical castration takes that away from them. Don’t give into the mob mentality.

IN RESPONSE:

shonangreg
Sep 26, 09 8:15 PM CDT

Chemical castration is not permanent. When you stop taking the meds, you return to normal. BTW, great logical follow-through, freethemall. I think it amounted to a reductio ad absurdum. And reasonator has the balanced, bird's eye view, with the exception of the supposed permanence of the chemical castration.

IN RESPONSE:

cochiserocks
Sep 27, 09 8:32 AM CDT

The issue a mental illness - not a physical one. If they want to be logical about extreme measures then, lobotomy is the way to go. On a more serious note though - much the same way drug addicts are sick - and need medical attention to deal with their illness - and THEN punishment for behaviours their illness manifested - the same is true here surely?! Sort their heads out -then cut off their wieners! At least that way they'll suffer more and understand more about the suffering they have created. Although really, got to draw a line somewhere - and messing with kids is wrong on so many levels - you may as well make it here!

IN RESPONSE:

Aelius28
Sep 27, 09 9:12 AM CDT

Except we don't force drug addicts to get treatment. Pedophilia isn't a condition that necessarily requires treatment. And we don't live in the Medieval times; we don't cruelly punish other humans no matter what they did. We incarcerate them.

-1

IN RESPONSE:

scootersrockin
Sep 27, 09 9:21 AM CDT

Yeah good idea cut off their dicks. It might work on some of the offenders, but i can see them getting creative with the foreign objects like raping a girl with a knife or using a plunger, or extra large dildo something that is more damaging than using a dick. An Extended stay Inpatient treatment facility is the best option. Prison dont teach offender anything. Sure they get raped in prison, they get out of prison and all they were exposed to was rape, how are they gonna try to live a normal life? They don't they just come out doing the same thing that happened to them in prison.

IN RESPONSE:

scootersrockin
Sep 27, 09 9:24 AM CDT

I mean they just come out of prison and do the same thing to other people that they had happened to them in prison.

IN RESPONSE:

DETERMINED6
Sep 29, 09 7:10 AM CDT

There is no cure for these evil people and when they are caught and have a fair trial and found guilty beyond any doubt send them to their creator that day.Others will see and think twice about doing the same thing.Death penalty isn't a deterent if we don't use it.

| 0 minutes ago

Altoecko
Sep 26, 09 3:18 PM CDT

This seems a bit harsh to me. Reply

-3

IN RESPONSE:

Altoecko
Sep 26, 09 3:19 PM CDT

I mean, what they do is terrible, but auto-castration? I don't know, maybe it's justified.

IN RESPONSE:

Reader64481089
Sep 26, 09 5:16 PM CDT

Maybe it's justified???? On a serious note th.e victims of such crimes never fully recover, some may be ablke to move on but many are left in fear for their entire lives. Some victims can't handle any of it and commit suicide because they can't heal and function. Tell you how I feel and I am deadly serious, I have a few knives and I would be glad to allow one to rust, then dull the blade, put on some latex gloves and do the work of the chemical....much more efficient and no risk of failure. Harsh? Not harsh enough for in truth I think they deserve a bullet behind the ear and even that is to good.

IN RESPONSE:

reasonator
Sep 26, 09 6:28 PM CDT

@ Reader: If you really would love to do that, then you're the one society should be more afraid of.

IN RESPONSE:

Laugh
Sep 27, 09 4:41 AM CDT

The effects of their crime are permanent, and so should be the effects of the punishment.

IN RESPONSE:

Aelius28
Sep 27, 09 4:55 AM CDT

The effects of self-defense resulting in death is permanent. Though something tells me you wouldn't be so inclined to mete out justice on the law's behalf if someone killed an attacker in self-defense. Your argument's flawed. Next.

| 0 minutes ago

BeatBlaster
Sep 26, 09 3:34 PM CDT

Sounds like the Prime Minister has been reading some comments from right here on Newser concerning punishment of rapists/pedophiles. Reply

| 0 minutes ago

peacenique
Sep 26, 09 3:35 PM CDT

I completely agree with Poland's plan. Almost every time we hear/read about some horrible sexual thing, it's discovered that the perp has a history of it. I wouldn't go so far as to say: "... they don't qualify as human". However, I will say that the punishment should be one that stops these sickos once and for all. How many times do you read on forums, or hear in real life, people that react by saying these people should have their dicks cut off? I think a chemical castration will have the same effect... but will be more humane. Reply

IN RESPONSE:

Aelius28
Sep 26, 09 7:31 PM CDT

Almost every time you hear about horrible sexual abuses, the perpetrator has a history, you are correct. However, everyone who dies in NASCAR accidents have a history of prior crashes too. Does that mean that everyone who crashes is going to end up dying? This is a logical fallacy. You don't hear about the many many cases where rapists finish their sentence and live perfectly legal lives thereafter. You don't hear about them because when a former rapist wakes up in the morning, makes coffee, goes to work, comes home and watches TV like everyone else, it's not news. You can't report on a negative, just like you don't hear "We're receiving reports that yet more NASCAR drivers have NOT crashed". It doesn't make sense.

IN RESPONSE:

peacenique
Sep 27, 09 7:34 AM CDT

Ah... but this is not a law for mere rapists, this is a law for pedophiles. It makes perfect sense to me.

-3

IN RESPONSE:

Aelius28
Sep 27, 09 8:16 AM CDT

How does changing rapists to pedophiles in my sentence change anything at all?

IN RESPONSE:

emeralize
Sep 28, 09 11:34 AM CDT

I agree. Sex offenders can not be rehabilitated. let's take away their libido so the desire to rape and torture never manifests. I think the people opposed to this are the same ones who oppose the death penalty. It's a tough subject to talk about, no doubt. There is nothing more heinous though, than sadistic sexual crimes against children. Go look up Wesley Allen Dodd for all of you peeps who think these people are "human".

-2

IN RESPONSE:

Aelius28
Sep 28, 09 5:30 PM CDT

These people are undeniable human, and you know that. Funny thing, this is coming from the same country that housed Auschwitz - a facility that executed thousands of Jews because they weren't considered human either. I don't oppose the death penalty, I oppose irrationality and it's an irrational emotional reaction typically expected of humans to react so offensively to protect a perceived threat to children. We have a legal system, and we have it for a reason. Let it do its work.

IN RESPONSE:

DETERMINED6
Sep 29, 09 7:24 AM CDT

The bleeding hearts are ones that should thank GOD their families haven't been touched by this evil.There is no cure.When they are let out they usually escalate good example Jessica Lunsford who was buried alive by a convicted and released child molester and was protected by his sister and friends how disgusting is that.Hid her in a closet for three days alive till they got to close to finding him and then he put her in a trash bag ALIVE and buried her after he did GOD knows what to her in those three days we know he fed her that was real nice of him and four other people lived in the trailer and never heard anything I don't believe that for one minute and then his sister helped him get out of Fl so she must have known something if that were my brother I's turn him in he may be a relative but evil is evil and needs to pay the price.We don't do anything to them that is why you hear more and more about them and their arrest records are usually a mile long WHY?

-1

| 0 minutes ago

ryderbackside
Sep 26, 09 4:17 PM CDT

Hope it catches on round the world. Reply

| 0 minutes ago

out4blood
Sep 26, 09 4:32 PM CDT

like the death penalty, it sounds like a justifiable idea until you realize we humans make a whole lot of mistakes. Reply

IN RESPONSE:

Janniel
Sep 27, 09 9:19 AM CDT

Pedophiles are more than just 'mistaken', they are sick and they cause hideous life-long suffering and even death. Further, pedophiles do not change their ways. That has been shown over and over. They will always hunger for and prey on defenseless children. I'm not sure how medical castration works, so can't speak to it. I do believe that a sick mind that is being affected by sex hormones is dangerous and deadly. I would think that physical castration might be the better way to go. If not then at least lock these sick sorry threats to the innocent away, for good.

IN RESPONSE:

scootersrockin
Sep 27, 09 9:40 AM CDT

You never hear about the pedophiles that live a good life without ever offending someone. They just don't make the news, I wonder why? Maybe we should castrate all Catholic Priests, because they are allowed to offend children.

IN RESPONSE:

Aelius28
Sep 27, 09 10:14 AM CDT

Janniel, pedophiles aren't sick any more than people who like kinky sex are sick. They don't necessarily cause hideous life-long suffering and even death. Child rapists cause that, not pedophiles. They will always have a sexual attraction to children, but they won't necessarily always prey on them.

IN RESPONSE:

Janniel
Sep 27, 09 10:36 AM CDT

From Answers.com: "pedophilia, psychosexual disorder in which there is a preference for sexual activity with prepubertal children. Pedophiles are almost always males. The children are more often of the opposite sex (about twice as often) and are typically 13 years or age or younger; they may be within or outside the pedophile's family. Sexual fantasies, looking, or fondling are more common than genital contact. Sexual offenses against children make up a significant proportion of reported criminal sex acts. The cause or causes of pedophilia are not well understood. Personality problems may be evident, and the pedophile often shows little or no concern for the effects of his sexual behavior on the child. Researchers have reported that psychotherapy in conjunction with the use of testosterone-lowering drugs has substantially reduced the desire in male pedophiles to molest children" And Aelius, you use the word Necessarily more than once in your reply. Do you want to necessarily risk your child? '''necesary'

-1

IN RESPONSE:

DETERMINED6
Sep 29, 09 7:33 AM CDT

They deserve the death penalty I guess you think abortion is justified their innocent but yet we allow them to be killed millions a year what did they do wrong.But evil people like this deserve another chance.No they need to be taken out of the gene pool with a fair trial and when found guilty beyond reasonable doubt they should be put to death that day not one week or twenty years or let out to do more harm and eventurlly kill. One appeal that is it science has come along way with dna and other tools to prove they did it.

-2

| 0 minutes ago

Newuser
Sep 26, 09 5:19 PM CDT

Poland's prime minister needs to learn the definition of "human". I also wonder why is there so many pedophiles in Poland. Reply

IN RESPONSE:

schmidtkoff
Sep 27, 09 10:08 AM CDT

why are so many pedophiles in poland? pedophiles have no nation boundaries. it's an international sickness.

IN RESPONSE:

Aelius28
Sep 27, 09 10:11 AM CDT

Uhh, it's not a "sickness" any more than homosexuality is a sickness.

-1

IN RESPONSE:

schmidtkoff
Sep 27, 09 10:27 AM CDT

additionally "The purpose of this action is to improve the mental health of the convict, to lower his libido..." i don't believe that it is purely (impurely) libido driving the pedophile any more than libido drives a serial rapist of adult women.

IN RESPONSE:

Aelius28
Sep 27, 09 10:32 AM CDT

Exactly, that's why this whole thing is an emotional and, frankly, uncivilized reaction to a common human tendency to want to protect children.

| 0 minutes ago

JoeQ
Sep 26, 09 5:35 PM CDT

If they're not human then PETA should get involved. Come to think of it, maybe that's why their blog is named the PETA Files. Reply

IN RESPONSE:

schmidtkoff
Sep 27, 09 10:16 AM CDT

you go joe@ - thumbs up.

| 0 minutes ago

justme
Sep 26, 09 6:59 PM CDT

Do any of you realize that chemical castration may stop the ability to rape another victim. It will not stop other forms of molestation/ abuse. Abusers will need to be monitored for the rest of their lives. Reply

| 0 minutes ago

riffran
Sep 26, 09 7:11 PM CDT

when it comes to rapist, and ESPECIALLY raping sicko pedophiles......the punishment is still too light Reply

IN RESPONSE:

freethemall
Sep 26, 09 11:30 PM CDT

You use the term "sicko" to describe pedophiles. Am I to take it you consider them to be sick? If they are indeed sick, don't they need treatment instead of, punishment? . Does this mean I think they should be free to continue to victimize, once they have demonstrated that they are not capable of controlling themselves? No it doesn't. It just means I think they need to be controlled, the same as we control dangerous animals. IMHO, we need to get away from this concept of punishment. And yes, the same as everyone else, I have the emotional impulse to want to get revenge, but we need to control our emotions, not be controlled by them. Otherwise we are little more than barbarians.

-1

IN RESPONSE:

Aelius28
Sep 26, 09 11:35 PM CDT

freethemall, I appreciate your rationality it's been a refreshment in this thread. You're one step closer to my views on the matter than other people in this thread are, but there's something I want to address. Do you think all pedophiles need to be dealt with in some manner, whether that be treatment, punishment or whatever? Do you accept that there are pedophiles who have a sexual attraction to prepubescent children BUT don't act on their desire because they're good people like most people are?

IN RESPONSE:

freethemall
Sep 27, 09 12:03 AM CDT

Aelius28, Yes I do think there are pedophiles who don't act on their desires. Why would they necessarily be more driven by their desires than anyone else. As a young man, I was very attracted to attractive young women, but I was not compelled to sexually assault them.

IN RESPONSE:

riffran
Sep 27, 09 3:20 AM CDT

sorry free but you can quibble over syntaxual minutea all you want...let me put it in simple and certain terms...ANYBODY that rapes, and or rapes children..needs a bullet through the brain. You dont treat a rabid or sick animal....you put them down. If that would happen to my family, I gaurentee you they had either lock me up or lock the pervert who did it, because I would effectively demonstrate HOW intolerant I am of such brutal behavior, by escalating to a barbaric and final solution...in summary...I don't give a shit about how the criminal feels, or about their rights...They lose that option when the commit the heinous crime

IN RESPONSE:

Aelius28
Sep 27, 09 3:30 AM CDT

Then you go right ahead and murder child rapists. But you WILL be put in jail where you belong because we have a legal system for a reason and the moment we start making exceptions for certain groups of people is the moment that the POINT of the legal system in the first place is destroyed.

IN RESPONSE:

riffran
Sep 27, 09 3:40 AM CDT

the solution is very simple...dont rape. No rape no problem...Rape a child pay the price...bye bye

IN RESPONSE:

Aelius28
Sep 27, 09 3:48 AM CDT

That's just horrible logic. In fact, by that logic, you could say "Don't get a speeding ticket or I'll kill you". "But don't worry! The solution is real simple, don't speed. Bye bye!" See how pathetic it sounds when applied to another crime?

IN RESPONSE:

riffran
Sep 27, 09 4:04 AM CDT

not really...dont speed...dont get a ticket...last time I heard, speeding or any other minor traffic infractions does not warrent a death penalty...But just wait until YOU have to take care of a four year old or so child who's vagina is ripped clear into her colon, and both colon and vagina need multiple reconstructive surgeries to correct it...oh and don't forget the colostomy on the her side, because until she heals, she cant have stool in an open wound....then you just pray, on top of all that the animal that did this does not have HIV or Hep C+....so comparing that to a traffic ticket????? Puuuuuhleese

IN RESPONSE:

Aelius28
Sep 27, 09 4:53 AM CDT

I'm not comparing it in severity, obviously, to a traffic ticket. You know that. You know what I'm getting at, too, you're just evading it.

-1

IN RESPONSE:

riffran
Sep 27, 09 5:27 AM CDT

no not really...I have seen the after effects of those atrocities, and have no stomach or tolerance for those that do things like that. I get the point, sort of along the lines about "one freedom chained on one person chains us all" type of deal.....but I just don't (in this case) agree with it. I just seem to have an overprotective tendancy, in these type of cases, an have an overwhelming urge to protect our precious children...On this I see no middle ground or compromise. But hey it is good to debate on though

| 0 minutes ago

Aelius28
Sep 26, 09 7:20 PM CDT

I'm surprised to see this happening in Europe, supposedly the forerunner for human rights. I'd be interested in learning what exactly qualifies a person as a pedophile. Medically, a pedophile is someone who happens to have a sexual attraction to prepubescent humans. That's it. Nothing wrong with that, in fact I know a pedophile and he's a great moral guy who would never even consider doing anything to harm a child. Why don't we start castrating people with other odd fetishes, like foot-fetishes or any of the other dozens of bizarre fetishes. If it's castration of only child molesters, who are NOT necessarily pedophiles because they may not be sexually attracted to the children, there's still the problem of basic human rights. We don't stop stupid bigoted fucks from reproducing because the right to have children is a basic human right. I simply don't think it's ethical to force someone to be castrated especially AFTER they've served their sentence. Reply

-1

IN RESPONSE:

freethemall
Sep 26, 09 9:42 PM CDT

Are you sure you didn't misspeak by saying "Nothing wrong with that"? If a person is sexually attracted to prepubescent humans, there is certainly something wrong. However I agree that a person with this abnormal condition didn't choose to be thus sexually orientated, and it's entirely possible that they may never act on it.

IN RESPONSE:

Aelius28
Sep 26, 09 10:25 PM CDT

No, I didn't misspeak. There's a difference between something being wrong and something being out of the ordinary. Certainly it's not normal, but neither is autism, Wilson's disease, clubbed feet, epilepsy and chronic depression. But you wouldn't say that those things are WRONG would you? No, because you haven't been conditioned by society to think so. The only reason you think pedophilia is wrong is because society has conditioned you to think so. Certainly the danger presented by pedophiles is higher because if they act on their sexual desires it harms children, but that makes child predation and molestation wrong NOT the pedophilia. Just like possession of firearms isn't WRONG but using the firearms for purposes that harm other people is wrong. I don't mean this condescendingly, but I think you're just reacting shockingly to a reality-check you didn't see coming. I know it seems odd to hear someone say that pedophilia isn't wrong, but if you actually THINK about it and REASON the idea you may be surprised at what you deduce.

IN RESPONSE:

emptycalm
Sep 27, 09 12:43 AM CDT

The reason people react to the word pedophile so emotionally is because they equate the word pedophile with the act of rape. That is how law enforcement uses the term and the media just repeats that so most people use the word that way instead of the psychological definition. People in the US especially seem to have this syndrome. I think it has something to do with people watching the show COPS too much

| 0 minutes ago

coco-jin
Sep 26, 09 7:30 PM CDT

Here is the rub though.... so-called chemical castration is not even proven to "work"--that is if the aim is to lessen sexual desires. Reply

| 0 minutes ago

Mad
Sep 26, 09 8:31 PM CDT

Chemical castration does not stop rapist, only stops them using their penis, and instead use objects, as a weapon. Reply

IN RESPONSE:

freethemall
Sep 26, 09 11:04 PM CDT

I was curious as to just what chemical castration was, so I googled it. According to Wikipedia, the purpose of it is to take away the libido. Doesn't that mean it would take away the rapist's or pedophile's urge to commit their abnormal acts?

IN RESPONSE:

Aelius28
Sep 26, 09 11:11 PM CDT

No, because any sane pedophile wouldn't rape a child. The vast majority of child rapists aren't even pedophiles, they're just... rapists. Most of whom are doing it for the power, not the sex. Taking away the libido wouldn't work for those two reasons. 1) Most are doing it for the power, not the sex, so limiting libido wouldn't help. 2) Most of them aren't pedophiles in the first place.

IN RESPONSE:

riffran
Sep 27, 09 3:54 AM CDT

dammit dammit...I have to actually agree on something...But the truth is the truth. It has been documented in numerous psych text and criminal behavioral text, about the use of "objects".

| 0 minutes ago

RobN
Sep 26, 09 9:25 PM CDT

So if we're worried about their rights, give them a choice. Spend your life in prison where we can monitor your every move, or agree to the chemical castration. Victims get protected either way and the perpetrator gets to be responsible for his own choices. Reply

-1

IN RESPONSE:

Aelius28
Sep 26, 09 9:32 PM CDT

Except in civilized societies we don't lock people up forever under the pretense of the POSSIBILITY that they might commit a crime later on. By your insane logic we should keep anyone in prison in prison FOREVER because whatever they did they might do it again when they come out. It's patently absurd.

IN RESPONSE:

RobN
Sep 26, 09 10:56 PM CDT

No, but we can lock them up for life for the crime they did commit. Make rape of a child a life sentence with the possibility of parole and then make the chemical castration a condition of the parole. Frankly, I find the fact that you completely misunderstood my post to be patently absurd. Maybe you would have understood it better if I had thrown in the pointless use of CAPS.

-1

IN RESPONSE:

Aelius28
Sep 26, 09 11:16 PM CDT

No, I understood your post perfectly fine, and if Newser offered the capability for italics I'd gladly substitute that for capitals as emphasis. "We can lock them up for life for the crime they did commit". Yes, and if a kid steals a candy bar we can lock him up for life for the crime he did indeed commit. Why wouldn't you do that? I'd ask you to answer the question yourself, but I'll save us both some time and assume you'd say because even though keeping him in jail will ensure he'll never steal again, it's not fair. So, what makes you think providing rapists with a choice between castration - a barbaric and primitive practice even when you put a suit-and-tie on it in the form of chemical-inducement - and lifetime in jail is a fair application of law? That's like telling the kid who stole the candy bar "I'll give you a choice. Cut off your hands to make sure you'll never steal again or go to prison forever". Utterly disgusting.

IN RESPONSE:

RobN
Sep 27, 09 2:25 PM CDT

Seriously, how can you expect to be taken seriously when you equate a child stealing a candy bar with rape and/or incest? Children who steal a candy bar do not steal somebody's innocence; merchants who are stolen from do not carry the damage from that their entire lives. That is why we do not imprison child thiefs for life, it has nothing to do with whether they will re-offend or whether it is fair. It is a matter of proportion. Pedophiles alway re-offend and the damage cannot be undone. Unlike the theft of a candy bar.

IN RESPONSE:

Aelius28
Sep 28, 09 12:49 AM CDT

You clearly don't understand the concept of an analogy. Let me put it to you this way, if I fill a bathtub halfway and compare it to a swimming pool that is filled halfway, that is not an incorrect analogy because the proportions, since you so kindly used the correct word yourself, are the same. You're having an irrational emotional reaction and as a last-ditch effort you're attacking someone for a comparison you think you can cheap-shot. Obviously, as any retarded muppet would be able to recognize, I'm not comparing the severity of the crime of theft to that of child rape, and you know that. I wouldn't even bother explaining myself again if I didn't think you were as intellectually dishonest as before and that if I don't explain myself again you can cheap-shot that as "well you didn't explain yourself, I win" like a hurt little child. So while I know you understand me already, let me put this to you clearly and tie off any knots that you might think you can pull in some pathetic cheap attempt to win an argument through absurdity. Someone who steals something from a store is punished. Someone who rapes a child is punished. The punishMENT for theft is, say, 1 year in jail. The punishMENT for child rape is, say, 15 years in prison. Why don't you put thieves in jail for their whole life? Because the punishment 1 year in jail as the justice system has determined it to be. Why don't we put child rapists in prison for their whole life? Because the punishment is 15 years as the justice system has determined it to be. So if you want to put child rapists in jail for an extra 60 years, then you must also put thieves in jail for extra years. Now, redeem yourself and show at least some shred of intellectual honestly and admit you were wrong to see objection with the comparison of thievery and child rape.

-1

IN RESPONSE:

Laugh
Sep 28, 09 1:16 AM CDT

Even though a bath tub half full and a swimming pool half full are proportionally correct, a swimming pool is still not,and will never be, a bath tub.

IN RESPONSE:

Aelius28
Sep 28, 09 1:19 AM CDT

That's right, and nobody is saying it is just like nobody is saying thieves are pedophiles or are even as bad as such. Who the hell are you arguing against?

-1

| 0 minutes ago

blackgrl
Sep 26, 09 9:56 PM CDT

it might seem harsh but how many times do we have to see pedophiles commit crimes AFTER they leave prison. according to most researchers pedophilia is one the hardest things to cure & most people fail. when i read about people like Garrido or Marcus Wesson i find that most punishments aren't harsh enough. rape should be included in this list. Reply

IN RESPONSE:

Aelius28
Sep 26, 09 10:20 PM CDT

98% of rapes are committed by people who knew the victim. 71% of all rapes are committed with alcohol being involved in one or both parties. The VAAAAAST majority of rapes are not done for sexual reasons, but for power or in a drunken stupor. And there's nothing intrinsically wrong with pedophilia, it's just a sexual preference. Acting on it happens to be wrong, just like acting on a rape fetish would be wrong. So to say that most pedophiles fail to be "cured" is expected. It's not something they can help, it's in their psychology. What CAN be helped however is them ACTING on their sexual desires.

| 0 minutes ago

abitoff
Sep 26, 09 10:56 PM CDT

Studies show that pedophiles are generally pedophiles for life, can't be cured, only controlled. To think they can have a family and kids and not be a danger to them is false. We would like to believe every human is salvageable, but in this case not so. Its a sociopathic compulsion, and sociopaths get worse with psychological treatment, not better. I think its a good idea actually. Many of these offenders feel tortured by their deviance, not to mention its the only effective way to protect the public.. I'm tired of people worrying more about the perpetrators life than the victims. Reply

IN RESPONSE:

Aelius28
Sep 26, 09 11:19 PM CDT

If they are tortured by their deviance, they can OPT for the procedure themselves. And of course pedophiles are pedophiles for life. That's like saying straight people are straight for their whole life and rarely change. Of course! It's in their psychology, what did you expect? But just like you don't think (hopefully) gay people deserve to be castrated, neither should pedophiles be castrated just because they have an unusual sexual preference. And pedophiles can have families just like gay people can have male friends without being sexually attracted to them.

| 0 minutes ago

Joans
Sep 26, 09 11:58 PM CDT

They should just castrate them not chemically castrate..do it for real. the assholes deserve to have some sort of thing tattooed on their faces too so we all know what they did.. this is horrible and it makes the child's life horrible for the rest of their life too! Reply

-1

IN RESPONSE:

Aelius28
Sep 27, 09 12:21 AM CDT

Right, castrate people. Just like the Bronze Age barbarians and the Nazis did. That's real civilized.

IN RESPONSE:

Laugh
Sep 27, 09 4:54 AM CDT

@Joans: I agree: Physical castration, and up the dose on chemical castration until it becomes permanent. @Aelius: Pedophilia isn't "just a sexual preference" as you put it. Everything starts with a thought...and in any case, you will not be labeled a pedophile until this sexual attraction comes to light. Once it has progressed so far that society labels a person as such and wants to castrate a pedophile, the attraction has in fact manifested into reality.

-2

IN RESPONSE:

Aelius28
Sep 27, 09 5:04 AM CDT

No, pedophiles don't become pedophiles the moment they commit a sexual crime any more than gay people don't become gay until they have gay sex. Pedophiles are pedophiles and it IS by DEFINITION a sexual preference. Look it up... "Pedo" comes from the Greek "child", "philos" comes from the Greek "loving". The American Psychological Association characterizes it as involving "intense sexually arousing fantasies, urges, or behaviors involving sexual activity with a prepubescent child". i.e. sexual preference for children. gg.

-1

IN RESPONSE:

Laugh
Sep 27, 09 5:12 AM CDT

That's correct, it is that by definition, but it doesn't concern society until it steps over certain lines and affects other people's lives. Nobody goes running around calling themselves a pedophile. They are labeled as pedophiles once they've gone beyond the point of no return. And I simply cannot swallow that a person would classify himself as a pedophile and let it remain as fantasies in his head. Let's just say, once you've shown by deeds that you are in fact a pedophile, you should be castrated and are at the mercy of society.

-1

IN RESPONSE:

Aelius28
Sep 27, 09 5:19 AM CDT

You're right, we tend to assign the term to child molesters and child rapists. But it's important to distinguish pedophiles from child predators/rapists/molesters. It's even more important to recognize that the VAST majority of child rapists/predators/molesters are doing it for the power and not for the sex. Just like regular adult-adult rape, it's about the power. So castration won't do anything but maybe curb some aggression. And I happen to know a pedophile and have known him my whole life. He's one of the best most selfless people I know and cares a lot about kids. It's not something he can control, just like gay people can't control their sexual attractions. It's very dishonest to characterize pedophiles as bad people or as problematic people in any way. Pedophiles aren't the problem, child rapists/molesters/predators are the problem.

IN RESPONSE:

Laugh
Sep 27, 09 9:34 AM CDT

Of course he cares about children... How did he find out he is attracted to little kids in a sexual way? Does he sit in his car close to schools? Maybe he's a teacher or a priest? Not touching them "in an inappropriate way", of course, and never plans to, of course. These predators are known to take jobs where they can be close to children. Never mind how "nice" a pedophile is, or that he "doesn't act on his impulses", he still needs help. And yes, pedophiles don't become pedophiles the moment they commit this kind of crime, but once they do, they are officially labeled pedophiles by society. That's why, admitting you're a pedophile yourself, is one step from making it official.

-2

IN RESPONSE:

Aelius28
Sep 27, 09 10:10 AM CDT

"That's why, admitting you're a pedophile yourself, is one step from making it official." That's right, and that's why I know this person well enough that he confided this information to me. He's in my family, I've known him my whole life and am in contact with him almost on a daily basis. You just can't accept the fact that people can have sexual preferences that are different than conventional ones. And no... he doesn't need help. Because he's a functional member of society like everyone else and his sexuality doesn't get in the way of anything.

IN RESPONSE:

Laugh
Sep 28, 09 1:21 AM CDT

Aelius, I feel sorry for your friend. But I doubt if any child would appreciate being the object of his sexual attraction. He may be "only looking", but by the mere fact he's admitting that he can't help being this way, is an admission that he knows it is wrong. I'm glad you're aware of his affliction so that you can keep an eye on him.

-1

IN RESPONSE:

Aelius28
Sep 28, 09 1:28 AM CDT

Of course he can't help being this way. Can you ever stop being straight (I assume you are)? Can a gay person ever stop being gay? No. What happens if a gay friend of yours who you didn't know was guy tells you that he's actually gay, does that mean he thinks it's wrong? NO.

IN RESPONSE:

blackgrl
Sep 28, 09 10:27 PM CDT

why can't we open up a maximum security prison in say... Antartica & send them all there. by the way aelius28 while i understand the argument you're trying to make equating sexual orientation & sexual deviant is NOT the same! an "unusual sexual preference?" are you kidding? it's not classified as a sexual preference - & like rape it often has more to do w/ Power than anything else. it's why castration may not work for many of them - they'll just use another "instrument." it's a painful, awful reality w/in our culture that most people fail to address it: hence the reason someone like Garrido got paroled, was supposedly "inspected" by his parolee, & carried on for so many years. while we humans have a tendency to go "witch trial" on issues that "suddenly" become pressing, i wish there was more thought for dealing w/ this issue. of course that's in "developed nations" what's going on in places like Romania, Thailand, even our Native American reservations, etc. is truly appalling -- all are well known 'hot-spots' for pedophiles who know they can carry on outside of a Westernized legal system.

| 0 minutes ago

yoeydude
Sep 27, 09 4:48 AM CDT

Better Living Through Chemistry Reply

| 0 minutes ago

yoeydude
Sep 27, 09 5:13 AM CDT

although we have hard wired inhibiters to incest , there would have been times in our deep past that called for incest to insure survival ,. of the family or the line ,... later in history , ruling families used incest to keep a line in power ,.... so there are deep genetic traits that run in all of us ,... as for pediphilia ,... well its not all the same is it ? a twenty-something female teacher , breaking in a teenage male is not , a middle aged man pinning for a teenage girl is not ,.... its force , its the pre pubescent stuff , right ? so lets be exact , .... violence , force , misuse of authority , coercion , these are about power , with the children part of twisted transference's , blah blah ,.... Reply

IN RESPONSE:

riffran
Sep 27, 09 5:56 AM CDT

wow...not bad at all yoey...not bad at all...

| 0 minutes ago

yoeydude
Sep 27, 09 5:21 AM CDT

A28 sez it best Reply

| 0 minutes ago

Bubblebee
Sep 27, 09 6:26 AM CDT

Chemical Castration is an injection of Depo-Provera. The Child Molester will have renewed sexual fantasies and high levels of testosterone if the injections are discontinued. Not really sure but, sounds like putting fuel on a fire to me. Learning to control their sexual desires and deal with them would be more effective. Reply

IN RESPONSE:

riffran
Sep 27, 09 8:30 AM CDT

A sort of rebound effect??? Hmmm haven't heard of that. Must research. Very interesting

| 0 minutes ago

scootersrockin
Sep 27, 09 8:49 AM CDT

My uncle works for a sexually maladaptive behaviors facility and he said that most children are molested and raped by other children. He works for a facility that treats the kids with sexually maladaptive behaviors. Most criminals started when they were a kid in the ages of 12-18. If you can treat them at that age they can live a good life without offending anybody else. Not every child offender is a pedofile. Lots of people go after an opportunity, power, or the fact that they can't find anyone their age and the only person they could control would be a kid. Pedophilia and bestiality is the same as being gay or straight only its illegal to act on it. Being gay used to have the same consequences as a pedophile. Reply

IN RESPONSE:

Laugh
Sep 27, 09 9:22 AM CDT

Except another gay adult can consent to sex (which is his/her right), a child cannot and doesn't know what's it all about and cannot give consent. So it is a situation where something is taken from a child who doesn't realize it is being taken. And really, animals aren't humans; I don't think bestiality and pedophilia fall into the same category - that's absurd.

-1

IN RESPONSE:

scootersrockin
Sep 27, 09 9:28 AM CDT

I'm not saying that pedophiles acting on their desires is right, its not, their are plenty of pedophiles that don't act on their desires, same as gay men or women that don't act on their desires to have sex with a gay partner.

IN RESPONSE:

Aelius28
Sep 27, 09 10:05 AM CDT

Bestiality and pedophilia are both sexual preferences. That's a fact, any psychological or psychiatric institution or organisation will verify this. Homosexuality and pedophilia are the same in that, like bestiality, it's a sexual preference. The difference is that it's legal to be a pedophile in our society as well as a homosexual, but it USED to be illegal to be a homosexual. Making pedophilia illegal would be a step backwards in human rights.

IN RESPONSE:

schmidtkoff
Sep 27, 09 11:04 AM CDT

i work in a facility that treats adolescent sexual predators and sexual aggressors that have been mandated by courts to seek inpatient treatment. the ages range from 9-19. i have read their case histories and it is not pretty. yes, most have been abused and molested since infants. some of these kids have histories of stalking and then abusing and admitting that they enjoyed the "hunt". one kid, at age 13 abused a 3 year old analy with a foreign object, dragged the child to a stream and allowed the child to drown. he was taken away in shackles for not particapating in his treatment. he won't get out of prison - and he was sent to prison not to a juvy detentention center - well into his 20's. after that? Who knows. He was resistant to treatment in our facility and I’s sure he’ll come out worse when released.

IN RESPONSE:

scootersrockin
Sep 27, 09 11:50 AM CDT

@schmidtkoff do you believe that some can be changed? Of course not all will follow treatment. Most are kids that were abused when they were younger and they dont know what they are doing is wrong to an extent. A very good majority will come out of treatment successfully.

IN RESPONSE:

yoeydude
Sep 28, 09 4:58 AM CDT

good stuff

| 0 minutes ago

scootersrockin
Sep 27, 09 8:59 AM CDT

Oh and almost all of the teens that offended other kids in the facility were offended as a kid. If thats true then we should send the victims to a facility also to keep an eye on them and give them treatment. You can't rely on out patient treatment for sexual offenses. They need to be kept inpatient and go through group and individual therapy for probably several months. Unfortunately that is kinda punishing the victims too but thats what you need to do to attempt to break the cycle. The older guys need prison and treatment. Reply

| 0 minutes ago

Janniel
Sep 27, 09 9:30 AM CDT

I wonder if those of us that are so concerned about these life-altering, and in some cases life-ending criminals have ever been up close to child molestation. Of course molesters are 'human' and should be treated with as much compassion and understanding as POSSIBLE. However, our first priority is to protect the defenseless kids that these sick criminals prey on. I don't know all the answers, but I do know that something has to be done to end the cycle. Perhaps the pedophiles should be given a choice between physical castration and prison for life. My only concern with the physical castration is that it wouldn't put an end to their deeply ingrained mental illness., and therefore they might still be a danger. Perhaps they should be castrated AND sent to prison where they could be given mental treatment and evaluated in the hopes that they could someday rejoin society. Whatever the case, I, having witnessed the effects of child molestation, am not willing to put the molesters 'rights' above my, and societies, children's safety. Reply

IN RESPONSE:

scootersrockin
Sep 27, 09 9:34 AM CDT

Its very sad when a child gets molested, abused or raped. It should never happen to any child or any person.

IN RESPONSE:

Aelius28
Sep 27, 09 10:01 AM CDT

Castration won't do anything to stop it. It's a power-trip, mostly because of sexual abuses in the criminal's childhood himself. If it was merely sexual, they wouldn't act on their desires because most people are decent people who wouldn't rape a child. Of those that DO rape children, again it's not a sexual thing so castrating them won't do anything. It's a flawed argument to give the offender a choice between life in prison and castration, because you could say the same for any crime. If a kid steals a candy bar, you could offer him a choice between life in prison or having his hands chopped off. The latter will ensure he'll never steal again, no doubt about it. What, why not? "I, having witnessed theft, am not willing to put thieves' rights above my, society's, and children's safety". It's absurd.

IN RESPONSE:

yoeydude
Sep 28, 09 5:02 AM CDT

you got it all figured out , dont cha ? , how much time you got left here ? , on Earth that is ,.... I hope something nice happens to you before the end , bitter is a sour note to go out on

IN RESPONSE:

Aelius28
Sep 27, 09 11:24 AM CDT

I use the word necessarily because many pedophiles do act on their sexuality. Unfortunately, the legal definition of pedophilia is often used instead of the medical definition. Dictionary definitions are similarly inconclusive, inaccurate, inconsistent and contradictory and these factors perpetuate an erroneous illusion that pedophiles and child molesters are the same. The reality is, most child molesters are not pedophiles and most pedophiles are not child molesters.

| 0 minutes ago

Janniel
Sep 27, 09 1:03 PM CDT

If a person is caught molesting children, or surfing internet pedophile sites, then they are a danger to children. Whether they are acting on their sickness or exploiting children by viewing child porn, they need to be kept away from kids. Period., Why are so many on here defending pedophilia? Is it some new cause? And do people seriously mean to equate being a pedophile to being gay? Really? That's just wrong-headed rationalization. Reply

IN RESPONSE:

riffran
Sep 28, 09 6:08 AM CDT

well I still stand by my *violent and barbaric brutal unjust methodology* rape a person, you go straight to a permanant dirt nap...ESPECIALLY if it is a little precious child.

IN RESPONSE:

Aelius28
Sep 28, 09 6:12 AM CDT

Homosexuality and pedophilia are both sexual preferences. Neither can be controlled or chosen, both of them are abnormal, both of them are perfectly legal, both of them are harmless on their own, they're the same in every aspect except one of them is illegal to ACT on. By the way, viewing child porn only indirectly harms kids when it's paid for or when the person viewing it had some part in its production in some way. Just like viewing an execution doesn't make you an accessory to murder. If someone is molesting kids, they are a danger to kids that is correct. But a pedophile is not intrinsically a danger to kids, it's only if he acts on his desires which most don't.

| 0 minutes ago

zentenai
Sep 28, 09 12:09 AM CDT

What the hell is a convicted pedophile? Can you get convicted for having an S&M fetish too? Reply

| 0 minutes ago

yoeydude
Sep 28, 09 5:46 AM CDT

advertizing has been sexulizing chilren forever ,.... remember too in our recent past most girls were married off as teenagers , to young adult males ,... they had to get breedin right away to keep up with Malthusian dynamics ,.... so fast forwrd today , teens arnt supposed to have sex ,... biologicaly they are in their prime , then add every other commercial were old is bad youth is good , , pretend you are young too ,..... worship youth ,,, 9 year old beauty contests were they dress kids up like transvestite hookers , and say , oh , how cute ,.... we live as contradictions , that unattainable ,beautiful past , that you never had is now about a 4 hour hard on , .................... we are biologicaly driven animals , thats all Reply

IN RESPONSE:

Aelius28
Sep 28, 09 6:08 AM CDT

I should point out that teens ARE supposed to have sex because, as you admitted yourself, they are in their prime. That's what puberty IS, it's your body saying "let's get busy!".

| 0 minutes ago

DoctorPringles
Sep 28, 09 12:19 PM CDT

Incarcerating criminals almost never works in regards to teaching a lesson. 1/3 of the criminals who are released from prison will commit another crime within 6 months of being released, 1/2 within a year. Thus, we need stricter punishments which they can take with them out of prison. I completely agree with this new law, and wish every government would take it up. Reply

| 0 minutes ago

cognitivefilter
Sep 28, 09 10:39 PM CDT

agree w/ early posts.....this is not a moral issue, it is a matter of law Reply

| 0 minutes ago

View all 107 comments »

human rights • crime • Poland • pedophile • sex offenders • punishment • incest • castration

from our news partners

VOTE: Which Celebrity Has Been The Biggest "Turkey"?
(20 minutes ago)
Celebs' Most Anticipated TV Season Finales
(Nov 21, 09 12:15 PM CST)
What If Twitter Existed When...
(Nov 21, 09 12:00 PM CST)
Miley Cyrus 'Deeply Saddened' by Bus Driver's Death
(Nov 21, 09 9:39 AM CST)

Ft. Hood shooter paralyzed, incontinent, reports Journal of the World's...
(42 minutes ago)
If you are receiving monthly insurance checks because you have...
(2 hours, 13 minutes ago)
Radiation leak reported at Three Mile Island nuclear plant, no...
(2 hours, 45 minutes ago)
Fun-loving San Francisco cable car decides to give passengers an...
(3 hours, 54 minutes ago)

First Look At Xeno Lovegood From The Deathly Hallows
(Nov 21, 09 8:48 PM CST)
New Moon Has Best Opening Day Of All Time
(Nov 21, 09 11:41 AM CST)
Writer Hired For Underworld 4
(Nov 20, 09 4:44 PM CST)
Brad Pitt Producing Dark Void Video Game Adaptation
(Nov 20, 09 4:36 PM CST)

Associated Press

China detains activists, petitioners in bid to silence criticism during Obama...
(Nov 16, 09 3:51 AM CST)
Report: Chinese who complain to gov't risk kidnap
(Nov 12, 09 6:30 AM CST)
US envoy nominee presses NKorea on human rights
(Nov 5, 09 4:15 PM CST)
Group: Congo military killed hundreds of civilians
(Nov 3, 09 6:30 PM CST)

What is Newser?

Face it: there's too much news. At Newser, we choose the most important stories from hundreds of US and international sources and reduce them to a headline, picture, and two paragraphs. And we do it 24/7—you can come back morning, noon, night (and in between) for something new that matters. Read less, know more.

Learn more »

Poland OKs Chemical Castration for Pedophiles

Controversial new law also covers incest

[Images (1)]

[Quotes (1)]

Wife Poses as Schoolgirl to Nab Husband

Sets up her own web sting after growing suspicious

MORE ABOUT:
Internet • pedophile • sex offenders • husband • wife

Mo. Cops Seek Bodies,
Kids' Notes on Abuse

Police dig up farm where 5 men charged with child rape

MORE ABOUT:
crime • Missouri • incest • sexual assault • child rape • sodomy • Burrell Mohler • Lexington, Mo.

Dad Used
Facebook to
Proposition
Daughter:
Cops

Self-described 'Bad Daddy' faces up to 30 years in prison

MORE ABOUT:
social networking • crime • Facebook • Pennsylvania • incest

human rights • crime • Poland • pedophile • sex offenders • punishment • incest • castration

MOST POPULAR STORIES

[ By Views ]

[ By Comments ]

from our news partners

Associated Press

About

Help

Tools

Site Maps

What is Newser?

Poland OKs Chemical Castration for Pedophiles

Controversial new law also covers incest

[Images (1)]

[Quotes (1)]

Related Newser Stories

Wife Poses as Schoolgirl to Nab Husband

Sets up her own web sting after growing suspicious

MORE ABOUT: Internet • pedophile • sex offenders • husband • wife

Mo. Cops Seek Bodies, Kids' Notes on Abuse

Police dig up farm where 5 men charged with child rape

MORE ABOUT: crime • Missouri • incest • sexual assault • child rape • sodomy • Burrell Mohler • Lexington, Mo.

Dad Used Facebook to Proposition Daughter: Cops

Self-described 'Bad Daddy' faces up to 30 years in prison

MORE ABOUT: social networking • crime • Facebook • Pennsylvania • incest

human rights • crime • Poland • pedophile • sex offenders • punishment • incest • castration

MOST POPULAR STORIES

[ By Views ]

[ By Comments ]

from our news partners

Associated Press

About

Help

Tools

Site Maps

What is Newser?

MORE ABOUT:
Internet • pedophile • sex offenders • husband • wife

Mo. Cops Seek Bodies,
Kids' Notes on Abuse

MORE ABOUT:
crime • Missouri • incest • sexual assault • child rape • sodomy • Burrell Mohler • Lexington, Mo.

Dad Used
Facebook to
Proposition
Daughter:
Cops

MORE ABOUT:
social networking • crime • Facebook • Pennsylvania • incest