Australia considers chemically castrating paedophiles

An Australian state police taskforce is considering chemically castrating child sex offenders by using anti-libido drugs.

The group in New South Wales is made up of representatives from Government, victims' groups, police, legal and health experts.

The drugs are already used in the state’s prison system on a voluntary basis, but the taskforce will consider using chemical castration as a sentencing option for judges in state courts, as an alternative to prison.

Justice Minister Troy Grant said all options should be considered to protect children from abuse.

He said: "One of the worrying statistics that came out of our investigation is that up to 17 per cent of child sex offenders are likely to reoffend in two years.

"We must do everything possible to reduce that figure."

However, Brett Collins, from Justice Action, a local activist group focussing on child abuse by authority figures, questioned how effective the scheme would be.

He told ABC News that the issue of child sex abuse was more complex than simply controlling sexual desire.

He said: "The issues are much larger ... there are personality issues, there are issues involved with a range of self-esteem issues as well.

"They have to be dealt with in more difficult ways — learning ways of diversion and avoidance, and also dealing with the person as a real person."