Cinsel Suçlarda Tıbbi Kastrasyon Uygulanmasının Tıp Etiği Açısından Değerlendirilmesi ve Bu Konuda Ürologların Bilgi ve Tutumları ile İlgili Bir Araştırma

Abstract

This study offers a comprehensive ethical analysis of medical (chemical) castration for sexual offenders, focusing on the knowledge levels and ethical attitudes of urology specialists in Türkiye. Although chemical castration is presented as a method to prevent repeat offenses by suppressing sexual urges through hormonal treatment, it represents a serious intrusion on bodily integrity and autonomy, raising significant debates around human rights and medical ethics. The study examines the historical development, global legal frameworks, and comparative practices of chemical castration, evaluating regulations in United States of America states such as California, Florida, Iowa, Louisiana, Texas, Massachusetts, Alabama, and Arizona through the lenses of voluntariness, informed consent, proportionality, and human rights compatibility. Examples from European countries including Germany, Poland, Czechia, and Russia are also discussed. International ethical guidelines like World Medical Association Declarations and the Convention on Human Rights and Biomedicine (Oviedo Convention) are used to explore physicians’ professional responsibilities and ethical obligations. In this thesis, Survey results from urology specialists in Türkiye reveal heterogeneous knowledge levels and limited ethical awareness. While some participants view chemical castration as a potential tool for social protection, others highlight risks of human rights violations, lack of genuine voluntariness and informed consent, and threats to trust in the physician patient relationship. Many also note that making such treatment legally mandatory could conflict with core ethical principles of medical practice. The study argues that chemical castration should not be seen merely as a punitive measure but as a medical ethical intervention requiring careful evaluation based on voluntariness, informed consent, and respect for human rights. A feminist bioethics perspective further critiques how it medicalizes individual culpability while obscuring the structural roots of gender inequality and violence, advocating for more holistic, preventive, and socially grounded approaches. Ultimately, it emphasizes the need to redefine the role of healthcare professionals in this area with a strong sense of ethical responsibility and a human rights based framework.