Italian Minister Pushes For Surgical Castration Of Rapists

February 16, 2009 12:43 p.m. EST

Rome, Italy (AHN) - Italian Minister for Legislative Simplification Roberto Calderoli urged surgical castration on convicted rapists. His suggestion follows a growing public clamor for a solution to the series of sex attacks in Italy, including the rape of a teenager in a Roman park on Saturday.

Calderoli told the Italian newspaper La Stampa, "In some cases, I don't believe that rehabilitation is possible... I think that chemical castration may be insufficient and that surgical castration is the only option left."

The minister's suggestion precedes a new law the Italian government will issue soon which would slap an automatic prison term for anyone convicted of sexual violence.

Two weeks ago the Council of Europe asked the Czech Republic to stop surgical castration of convicted sex offenders due to the lack of free consent on convicted sex offenders prior to the performance of the medical procedure on them.