Indonesia to punish child rapists with chemical castration

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — Indonesia's president has issued a regulation that provides tougher penalties for child rapists, including chemical castration.

President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo said Wednesday the administrative order is a response to increasing sexual violence against children.

The president earlier declared that sexual offenses against children are a particularly serious crime because they endanger the child's life and wellbeing.

Demands for harsher punishments have increased following the rape and murder of a teenage girl by 14 men in western Indonesia last month.