Jump to contentAllNewsSportCultureLifestyleSingapore's Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs K. Shanmugam (AFP/Getty)Singapore is willing to consider chemical castration for sex offenders if evidence demonstrates its effectiveness, according to Home Minister K Shanmugam. Speaking in parliament, Mr Shanmugam noted that current evidence regarding the effectiveness of pharmacological anti-androgen treatments remains inconclusive. The minister's comments follow a rise in sexual assault cases in the first half of 2026, which included 762 instances of molestation and 261 rapes. Singapore is also exploring the expansion of background screening to cover more voluntary and unregulated roles involving contact with children. The nation already enforces strict penalties for sexual offences, including mandatory jail terms and caning, alongside a new sentencing regime introduced in July for high-risk offenders. In fullSingapore may consider chemical castration as punishment to reduce sex crimesMore bulletinsThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in
Singapore considering chemical castration to reduce sex crimes, says minister
Jump to contentAllNewsSportCultureLifestyleSingapore's Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs K. Shanmugam (AFP/Getty)Singapore is willing to consider chemical castration for sex offenders if evidence demonstrates its effectiveness, according to Home Minister K Shanmugam. Speaking in parliament, Mr Shanmugam noted that current evidence regarding the effectiveness of pharmacological anti-androgen treatments remains inconclusive. The minister's comments follow a rise in sexual assault cases in the first half of 2026, which included 762 instances of molestation and 261 rapes. Singapore is also exploring the expansion of background screening to cover more voluntary and unregulated roles involving contact with children. The nation already enforces strict penalties for sexual offences, including mandatory jail terms and caning, alongside a new sentencing regime introduced in July for high-risk offenders. In fullSingapore may consider chemical castration as punishment to reduce sex crimesMore bulletinsThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in
