In the future, anyone convicted of a sex crime against a child in Louisiana could face physical castration operations.
According to reports by the Associated Press (AP), on June 3, the Louisiana legislature passed a bill that allows judges to order surgical castration in addition to imprisonment for those convicted of committing crimes such as sexual assault and sexual harassment against children under the age of 13.
The AP reported that this is the first time a bill allowing physical castration has been enacted in the United States. Some states, including California, Florida, and Texas, have a system of chemical castration, which involves injecting drugs to suppress the libido of sex offenders.
The bill was proposed by Democratic Senator Regina Barrow, who said during a committee review of the bill in April, “We are talking about children who are being violated by someone. It’s unforgivable.”
She explained, “Physical castration is often associated with men, but it can also apply to women. This punishment will not be automatically imposed on all criminals but will be decided at the judge’s discretion on a case-by-case basis.”
If a judge orders castration surgery and the offender refuses, they can receive an additional 3 to 5 years of imprisonment for non-compliance.
There are currently 2,224 people in Louisiana convicted of sex crimes against children under 13, but the punishment will not apply retroactively to them.
Some members of the Louisiana legislature criticized the law, saying, “Isn’t this too harsh a punishment for someone who has committed the crime just once?”
Barrow responded, “If you think about the child (victim), once is too many times.”
Meanwhile, if Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry signs the bill passed by the legislature, it will take effect on August 1.
