A father has been accused of sexually abusing his own daughter in Singapore. While we can't get over how cruel and disgusting that is, this father claims to have a deformed penis that would make it impossible for him to do such an act.
The case
The 42-year-old father has been charged with sexually assaulting his own daughter from 2011 to 2014.
But according to Channel NewsAsia, he told the court on Jan 23, that he had sought medical attention for a botched penis enlargement procedure a month before his trial.
In 2009, it seems, he went through this procedure, which caused his penis to become deformed, painful and ooze pus. He claims that it left him unable to have sex. What is strange though, is that he only sought medical consultation for it seven years later, in 2016.
Clinically examined
Urologist Dr Lee Fang Jann examined the father in question in October 2016, a month before his trial. Apparently, he had a letter with him, which said that the patient in question had a pending court case, asking the doctor to examine the man’s penis and give his expert opinion on whether he could have had sexual intercourse with an 11-year-old girl.
According to Dr Lee, this was unlikely due to the size of his deformed penis, and sex “would require a fair amount of force … and (would be) painful … for himself and his partner”.
However, the doctor has agreed that penetration could have been possible if lubricant had been used. Meanwhile, the daughter has testified that, her father sometimes used olive oil or her brother’s hair gel on her before each assault.
What is the truth?
Dr Lee also testified it was difficult to say when the botched procedure was performed, but estimated that it could have been done at least six months prior to his examination in October, sometime between September 2015 and April 2016.
The prosecution says that the father had deliberately undergone an enlargement procedure after his daughter accused him of sexual abuse. The defence claims though, that the man underwent three enlargement procedures in Johor Bahru in 2005, 2007 and 2009, on the insistence of his now ex-wife.
The verdict is awaited.
How to protect your children from sexual abuse
Scary, scary world, this. Little children are especially vulnerable to being taken advantage of. Sadly most child sex abuse cases involve people well known to the child. Being sexually abused by a parent is the worst trauma a child can go through. If you can't trust your own parent, who then can you trust?
Every parent must take steps to educate and protect their child from sex abuse. Here are some pointers:
- Know your child: Show interest in her day-to-day lives. Ask her what she did during the day and what games she played after school. Know who your child is spending time with, including other children and adults.
- Talk about body parts: Teach your children about private parts from a young age. Use proper names for each body part. It eliminates a lot of confusion. Feeling comfortable using these words and knowing what they mean can help a child talk clearly if something bad has happened.
- Explain the meaning of private parts: Tell your child why only some parts are called 'private'. It is because they are not for everyone to see. Only mummy and daddy, and maybe a doctor in the presence of a parent is allowed to look at them. Not even friends or relatives they know well.
- Explain "good touch" and "bad touch": Be clear. Explain that no one should touch their private parts and that they should not touch any one’s private parts as well. Also, no one should be allowed to take pictures of private parts.
- No "private" secrets: Most paedophiles will tell the child to keep the abuse a secret. Either lovingly or using a threatening tone. Explain to your child that no matter what happens, she should confide in you. That she will never get in trouble for telling you the truth, even if it was about her parent.
- Teach her to say "No": If she feels something 'bad' happening, she must learn to say "No!" and try to leave the area immediately.
- Choose caregivers carefully: Whether it’s a babysitter or a maid, be diligent about screening caregivers for your child.
- Discuss the news: Incidents of sexual violence are frequently covered by the news and portrayed in television shows. Discuss them proactively with your child, ask questions like, “What would you do?"
- Know the warning signs: More than the physical symptoms, emotional or behavioural signs are more common. Watch out for sudden withdrawal and depression, unexplained anger and rebellion in your child. Don't overreact and panic. Offer support.
(Source: Channel NewsAsia)
Also READ: Neighbour behaves indecently with little girl in Singapore
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