Singapore is considering whether chemical castration could be used against some sex offenders as authorities confront an increase in reported sexual offences, including crimes involving children.
Police recorded 1,531 molestation cases in 2025, representing a 7.3% increase from 1,427 cases a year earlier.
The issue was raised in Parliament this week as lawmakers questioned whether existing penalties and measures designed to protect children should be strengthened.
Home Affairs Minister K. Shanmugam said the Government remained prepared to consider anti-androgen treatment, commonly referred to as chemical castration, if convincing evidence emerged that it could reduce offending or reoffending.
“So far, the evidence is not conclusive on that,” Shanmugam said in a written parliamentary response on Tuesday.
Chemical castration uses medication to suppress testosterone levels and diminish sexual drive. Unlike surgical castration, reproductive organs are not removed, and the effects of the treatment are generally reversible after the medication is discontinued.
Singapore already has stringent penalties for serious sexual offending against minors. Rape or penetrative sexual assault involving a child under 14 without consent can result in imprisonment of between eight and 20 years, together with at least 12 strokes of the cane.
The city-state has also recently strengthened its approach to offenders considered an ongoing danger to the public. A new sentencing regime introduced in July allows serious violent or sexual offenders assessed as presenting a substantial risk of reoffending to remain imprisoned beyond their minimum term, which can range from five to 20 years. Continued detention is possible where authorities determine that the offender still poses a significant public-safety risk.
Debate over child-protection measures has intensified following a case involving a self-described religious mentor who committed sexual offences against children. The man had previously been arrested over the alleged molestation of a 17-year-old and released on bail.
The case has prompted questions in Parliament about whether bail restrictions should be strengthened and whether screening requirements for people working with children need to be tightened.
Chemical castration is already authorised for certain categories of sex offenders in countries including South Korea, Indonesia and Kazakhstan. Hormone-suppressing treatment is also available voluntarily in some European jurisdictions, while several US states permit its use in particular circumstances.
For now, Singapore has stopped short of adopting the measure, with the Government indicating that any decision will depend on stronger evidence that the treatment can meaningfully reduce sexual offending.
