© Eddie Keogh / Reuters
Swedish scientists are using a British crowdfunding website to raise money for a controversial chemical castration program aimed at un-convicted pedophiles who feel they can't control their sexual urges.
The group of scientists are promoting their work in the UK, where British psychiatrists have expressed interest in the project.
The treatment would involve men voluntarily taking drugs that reduce their sex drive.
Britain already has a pilot scheme, co-managed by the National Health Service (NHS), which began in 2008 at Whatton Prison in Nottinghamshire and is currently being extended across the country.
The UK's chemical castration program has thus far treated more than 100 convicted sex offenders.
However
the Swedish scheme - dubbed Priotab - would take the unprecedented step of treating men in the general population who are worried about their sexual urges.In addition to trialing chemical castration, they will also attempt to find "biomarkers" - substances in the blood or brain activity that identifies individuals who could pose a danger to children.Priotab lead researcher Dr Christoffer Rahm, from the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, said the project is aimed at preventing abuse before it occurs.
Comment: If a pedophile sees nothing wrong with their abuse of children, then castrating them physically or chemically will likely do nothing to stop their abusive behaviors. In fact, it may make things worse. The best thing these researchers could do to prevent child sexual abuse would be to share
research and methods on how to spot sexual predators, so that parents can learn how to identify pedophiles and take steps to protect their children.
Comment: If a pedophile sees nothing wrong with their abuse of children, then castrating them physically or chemically will likely do nothing to stop their abusive behaviors. In fact, it may make things worse. The best thing these researchers could do to prevent child sexual abuse would be to share research and methods on how to spot sexual predators, so that parents can learn how to identify pedophiles and take steps to protect their children.