The Italian government has taken a concrete step toward introducing chemical castration for convicted sex offenders, a move designed to strengthen child safety and provide a powerful tool against predators.
The Chamber of Deputies approved a motion committing the government to establish a technical committee to study the introduction of pharmacological treatment for individuals convicted of sexual violence against children, following an increase in the number of pedophiles abusing children.
The motion, introduced by League party lawmaker Igor Iezzi and supported by the Meloni government, represents what Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini called “another important step forward in our historic battle for justice and common sense: zero tolerance for rapists and pedophiles.”
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League Justice Undersecretary Andrea Ostellari recently emphasized the need to move forward with concrete action, stating in September 2026 that “in the face of new very serious episodes of sexual violence, especially against minors, concrete answers are needed”. He stressed that the government has already “assumed a precise commitment” and that “it is time to start the technical table and transform this will into a concrete proposal.”
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Growing Public Demand for Stronger Measures
The initiative responds to mounting public pressure on lawmakers following a series of high-profile sexual violence cases that have shaken public confidence in the justice system . League proponents argue that “the increasingly frequent news reports of aggression and sexual violence” signal the “lack of adequate prevention measures in the criminal law system.”
Evidence Supporting Effectiveness
International research supports the potential of pharmacological treatment to reduce reoffending. A study of sex offenders found that those taking testosterone-suppressing drugs had a 28% recidivism rate compared with 52% for those not receiving treatment . Research from South Korea, which has implemented chemical castration legislation since 2011, has recognized “outstanding effect of drug treatment for suppressing recidivism of sexual crime”.
The World Federation of Societies of Biological Psychiatry has described androgen-deprivation therapy as “the most promising treatment for sex offenders at high risk of sexual violence, such as pedophiles and serial rapists” . When combined with psychological support, the treatment addresses both the biological and behavioral dimensions of offending.
