Voluntary and therapeutic castration of sex offenders in The Netherlands (1938–1968).

摘要: Abstract Between 1938 and 1968 some 400 sex offenders in the Netherlands who by court orders had been put at ‘the discretion of government’ were incarcerated asylums for criminally insane, ‘voluntarily’ submitted themselves to ‘therapeutic’ castration, surgical removal their testes. Prior 1938, inspired a Danish castration act from 1929, urged that overcrowded offenders, ethics surgery discussed nearly decade amongst theologians, (forensic) psychiatrists, jurists politicians, mostly context eugenic sterilization. Discussions conflicting Catholic, Protestant non-denominational points view vis-a-vis eugenics resulted consensus about ‘voluntary’ castration. Sexual deviancy, according some, was like tumor located testes, which could therefore be removed without moral objections person thus cured his disease. Although obviously related forensic psychiatry concerned with issues protection society treatment discussions never held strictly context. Unlike other countries policies enforced, The embodied law but subject an informal protocol covered political accountability. To satisfy Catholic references aims omitted documents, as penalty. Based on international Dutch literature (from both before after 1938) well case histories, this article will show compromise therapeutic value no basis medical knowledge, while ‘voluntariness’ (as elsewhere) acknowledged fallacy once surgeries started. It also did not really cure curbed libido helped castrate suppress urges. Nonetheless, because origins discussions, associated persistent confusion difference between sterilization, it became fully clear whether meant curb or prevent begetting inferior progeny.