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From: kim@emory.UUCP (Kim Wallen {Psychology})
Newsgroups: net.women
Subject: Re: Punishments for Rape
Message-ID: <1307@emory.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 28-Mar-84 09:18:16 EST
Article-I.D.: emory.1307
Posted: Wed Mar 28 09:18:16 1984
Date-Received: Fri, 30-Mar-84 02:38:12 EST
References: <6373@decwrl.UUCP> <2748@hplabs.UUCP>, <688@ihuxp.UUCP> <6646@watrose.UUCP>, <566@ihuxb.UUCP>
Organization: Math & Computer Science, Emory University, Atlanta
Lines: 28

There has been some discussion of the effectiveness of castrated (surgical
or chemical) as a 'treatment' for rape.  The actual evidence of the 
effectiveness of these treatments is really rather unconvincing.  Heim
published a study in Archives of Sexual Behavior (1981) which studied
39 males castrated for sex crimes.  30% of the males continued to have
sexual intercourse 4 years after castration.  Most interestingly 75%
of the rapists continued to have intercourse.  In the chemical castration
studies the data are usually not very reliable.  Often a condition for
parole is that the offender continue to take the drog and report to
the parole officer his lack of sexual interest, not the conditions where
one gets disinterested responses.
There does seem to be some evidence that the rate of recidivism is
much lower following these treatments so they may have some effect.
However the notion that male sexual behavior is radically changed
following castration is still poorly supported and needs much more
research before we depend upon hormonal therapies as rape treatment.

I am more in favor of discovering why some men develop such antagonism
to women that they depend upon violence and degradation to become
sexually aroused.

!emory!emoryu1!psykw

Kim Wallen
Psychology Dept.
Emory University
Atlanta, Ga