Castration for Sex Offenders

This letter is in regard to the L.A. County Board of Supervisors decision to conduct a study on the “medical, moral, and legal issues of using castration” in punishing sex offenders. We at National Action Against Rape feel this is a bad decision for many reasons and wish to express our concerns.

It seems premature to assume that because news commentator Paul Harvey says castration is an effective deterrent in Denmark, Sweden and Norway, it will also work in the United States. In the first place, consider the source. Harvey hardly has a reputation for being in the vanguard in the fight for women’s rights and lives. In the second place, has the board inquired as to the validity of Harvey’s statements, or are they being taken at face value? In other words, does the board have evidence that supports his claims?

And finally, even if castration is used effectively in other countries, has the board considered the fact that cultural differences between the United States and Scandinavia may render castration inappropriate and ineffective in our country?

Another major consideration is the appropriateness of a county board of supervisors conducting such a survey. Because the issue here is legislation, it seems much more reasonable for the Legislature to study the matter. How much money will the board spend on this study, the results of which will not be in its power to act upon? Taxpayers (like ourselves) will want to know.

And finally, there is the appropriateness of castration itself. Although studies have linked high levels of testosterone with aggressive behavior in men, sexual violence is a complex problem with more than one cause. Asserting that rape is motivated primarily by sexual “urges” (to use Schabarum’s word) perpetuates myths about sexual assault and relegates rape to a sex act.

The reality is that rape is a crime of violence, control, and power that has little to do with a man’s sex drive. This is evidenced by the fact that many assaults (2 out of 5 is the figure we use) occur with a foreign object. This clearly speaks to the fact that the object of rape is to violate and injure another, not to satisfy the assailant’s sexual urges. In these cases, castration would be of little use.

On the surface castration may appear to be a viable solution. But it is an easy solution, not a good one. It perpetuates the myth that rape is motivated primarily by uncontrollable urges and ignores the deeper underlying causes of these crimes. A better line of inquiry would be: what elements of our society perpetuate violence against women and children and how can they be changed?

After years of concerning ourselves with precisely this question, we at National Action Against Rape can offer an answer. Current attitudes, values and institutions that constantly objectify and devalue women create a climate in which it is “OK” to control, dominate and violate women. We are speaking of pornography, advertising, lack of legal rights for women (especially in marriage) and lack of economic opportunities.

So you see, ending sexual violence means ending the systematic oppression of women in our society and treating them as equal human beings, not objects to be owned and controlled. This means changing attitudes and values, and this kind of change begins at home, not in a study ordered by a county board of supervisors.

TRACEY TAPP

Santa Monica

Tapp is canvas s director on the staff of National Action Against Rape.