Chemical castration
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Chemical castration is a form of castration caused by certain (hormonal) drugs.
It was developed as a temporary preventive measure and punishment usually reserved for male sex offenders, typically child molesters and rapists. For male sex offenders, chemical castration is considered more humane than actual castration, and additionally it is not permanent. However the ACLU has condemned it as unconstitutional and a form of cruel and unusual punishment.
It is also a preliminary and concurrent step in hormone treatment for male-to-female transsexualism. For male-to-female transsexuals, the change will be permanent after six months.
Depo-Provera, a progestin, is the drug used today. It acts on the brain to inhibit hormones that stimulate the testicles to produce testosterone.
Some parasitic trematodes chemically castrate their host, see microphallus.
External links
- ACLU article on chemical castration (http://www.aclufl.org/about/newsletters/1997/chem.cfm)