A woman was caught on camera while she deliberately hurt and yelled at a young boy in public. Learn more and the disadvantages of enforcing harsh punishment on children here.
In this article, you’ll read:
- A woman yelled and laid a hand on a boy in public
- Protecting children against abuse and violence
- How to report child abuse in Singapore
A woman yelled and laid a hand on a boy in public
Last Saturday, March 19, a woman was caught on camera loudly reprimanding and pinching a child’s ear at Somerset Mall.
The witness, known to be Wenqing, saw everything that happened during that time and was able to record it on her camera. She did not report the incident to the authority. However, she felt disturbed by what happened and sent it to Stomp instead.
It was “disturbing” and “bewildering” for Wenqing to see such instances in public. She was bothered and felt so concerned that she recorded the video.
She recalled that it was around 2:35 PM when she saw the woman hurting and scolding a child outside the Sushi Express restaurant. The woman yelled at him for not knowing how to tie his shoelace on his own.
“The woman was scolding the boy for not knowing how to tie his shoelace and not following her instructions,” she shared.
Wenqing was also “shocked” to see how the woman kicked the young boy while he was tying. She said that the woman did that while the kid tried his best to tie his shoelace.
“What prompted me to take a video was that she actually kicked the boy twice when he was kneeling down to tie his shoelaces, while he was trying his best to do it in accordance to the way the woman wanted. I was so shocked,” Wenqing added.
The witness has successfully recorded the incident in a series of video clips. In one clip, the woman was seen shouting at the young boy while showing him how to tie his shoelace correctly.
It was the time when she pinched and twisted his left ear while yelling at him. She then continued watching the boy tie his shoelace.
Image source: Shutterstock
Regardless of the surroundings and people around them, the woman did not hesitate to humiliate the kid. She was scolding the boy despite people walking around and looking at them. Wenqing said,
“The woman was scolding the boy incessantly, pulling and pinching his ear even though passers-by were staring at her.”
The boy looked visibly upset, shaken, and frightened, according to the witness. Despite the face mask that the kid was wearing, she could notice how the kid’s face turned red.
“The woman and man then entered Sushi Express, while the boy was left standing at the same corner, red-faced. The man later came out and asked the boy to go in,” she elaborated.
Wenqing then left the place as soon as she saw them sitting at the sushi bar. She assumed that nothing ‘violent’ could happen inside the restaurant.
The witness could not believe that such a scenario could still happen nowadays. She was shocked to see that such violent actions toward kids still exist today and felt sorry for the boy.
Wenqing shared her sentiments toward the woman,
“The woman’s actions are very barbaric. Whether she is his mother or not, it is not right to treat a child in such a manner.
I wonder what is happening at home and am concerned that this incident will scar the boy psychologically. Is this an appropriate manner of parenting?”
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Protecting children against abuse and violence
Violence and abuse to children still happen nowadays. There were approximately seven thousand child abuse cases investigated in Singapore in the past decade.
It is vital to maintain a safe and nurturing environment for children. They will need a good and safe environment as their growth and development take place.
Child abuse is defined as any act of commission or omission by a parent or caregiver which would endanger or impair the child’s physical or emotional well-being.
The different forms of child abuse are the following:
- Physical abuse
- Neglect
- Sexual abuse
- Emotional and psychological abuse
The Children and Young Persons Act (CYPA) provides the legal framework to protect children. It allows relevant authorities to intervene if a child (below the age of 14) or young person (from 14 years to below 18 years of age) is abused or neglected.
How to report suspected child abuse in Singapore?
Reporting suspected child abuse is the first step to preventing and stopping abuse or violence against children.
You may call the police at 999 immediately if the child’s life and safety are in imminent danger.
You can also reach out to the National Anti-Violence Helpline (NAVH) at 1800-777 0000 if you know someone encountering child abuse. Their services are available 24/7.
Details to report
In reporting child abuse, it would be helpful to provide as much information as possible. Here are the details that would be very helpful to the authorities:
- Description of injuries, abuse, neglect
- Location of abuse
- When and how did you find out about the abuse
- Child(ren)’s name, age, address
- Name of the alleged person causing harm, age, and relationship to the child(ren)
- Your name and contact details
Image source: iStock
