In a sickening tale of abuse, a 27-year-old Singaporean was sentenced to 25½ years’ jail and 24 strokes of the cane on Feb 19, 2019 after he admitted that he had forced wife into prostitution. He also confessed to making his 6-year-old daughter perform oral sex on him, and to sexually abusing his 13-year-old niece.
“You are a monster,” High Court judge Chan Seng Onn said, while sentencing the man.
The shocking case has been described by prosecutors as the “first of its kind”…
Man forced wife into prostitution to pay for baby’s diapers and milk powder
The jobless man, who cannot be named, to protect the identity of the victims, apparently had been abusing his wife over a long period of time.
The abuse grew more intense from 2015, and continued even when she was pregnant. The wife never reported the matter to police or confided in her own family, because she was afraid he would kill her.
Her nightmare got worse when she stopped working in 2015. The family started facing financial problems, but the man refused to get a job. In June 2016, he forced his wife into prostitution so they could afford their then 3-month-old baby’s diapers and milk powder.
The helpless wife was left with no choice. The abusive husband, who was familiar with prostitutes, as he regularly hired them online, ‘taught her’ how to solicit customers on online platforms.
She met her customers in hotels in Balestier. Between June and August 2016, she provided sexual services to about 138 men, and earned about $11,000, all of which she handed over to her husband.
Her sadistic husband also demanded that she film her sex acts as it gave him great pleasure to watch them. If she wasn’t able to fulfil her ‘daily quota of customers’, the monster would kick and punch her.
Monster sexually abused own daughter
Even their little daughter was not spared.
On one occasion, after having sex with his wife, the ‘father’ forced his 6-year-old daughter to perform oral sex on him, even though he suspected that he had contracted a sexually transmitted disease.
When the mother saw what was happening, she was furious and started shouting, but again was threatened with dire consequences.
To satisfy his sexual desires, the man even forced his wife to bring her 13-year-old niece to him, on her PSLE oral examination day.
The poor unsuspecting child was taken to a hotel in Balestier, where she was molested, with a pillow pressed on her face to silence her. The abuser stopped when he got scared that the girl had stopped breathing.
The man’s offences were finally reported to the authorities by his own mother. The family had gone to live with her in Aug 2016. She called the police on Aug 20, after her granddaughter confided that her father had done “something bad” to her.
Psychiatric reports from the Institute of Mental Health indicate that the man has anti-social personality traits and continues to be a risk to his family.
Helplines for dealing with family violence
Here are some things you can do if you find yourself in an abusive relationship:
1. Seek help immediately
For immediate advice or help, call:
- Police – 999
- AWARE Helpline – 1800 777 5555 (Mon–Fri, 3 pm– 9.30 pm)
In the event that a life is in danger, call the Police at 999 immediately.
2. See the doctor
- Immediately visit the doctor in case of serious physical injuries.
- Remember to tell your doctor the truth
- Do remember that your personal information is secure. The law ensures that medical reports are private.
- If you do experience abuse and find it a serious issue, you will still find visiting a doctor beneficial. A doctor’s medical report can help you if decide to apply for a Personal Protection Order (PPO).
- Retain your receipt for the medical services as evidence.
3. Lodge a Police Report
- Lodging a police report is beneficial even if you don’t want to take legal action, as police reports may help if you do apply for legal protection.
- To start, visit a police service counter – any will do – including neighbourhood police posts.
- Photocopy the police report so that you can refer to it later.
- Keep check of eyewitness accounts, texts, emails or recordings that could possible indicate forms of harassment that isn’t so obvious, such as emotional abuse or physical abuse.
4. Seek Counsellors or Other Forms of Support
- If you need someone to talk to, you can always visit a counsellor who can guide you better.
- Counselling may also help aggressors admit that they’re wrong and change for the better.
- Here’s a list of organisations which provide counselling services:
- AWARE (Helpline – 1800 777 5555 (Mon–Fri, 3 pm– 9.30 pm))
- Family Service Centres (FSCs): There are 47 FSCs in Singapore.
Please call ComCare on 1800 222 0000 to be connected to the nearest centre.
These Family Service Centres specialise in counselling related to family violence:
- PAVE : 6555 0390
- TRANS Centre (SAFE Centre – Stop Abuse in Families) : 6449 9088
- Care Corner Project StART : 6476 1482
5. Stay in a Crisis Shelter
- If you find yourself having no way out, or no other person to turn to, a crisis shelter is your last resort.
- For Crisis Shelter admission, you need a referral from:
- Police
- Any Family Service Center or hospital social workers
- Note that you can stay in a crisis shelter home for no longer than three months.
6. Apply for a Personal Protection Order
The following parties can apply for a Protection Order if they are facing family violence
- spouse or former spouse
- a child, including adopted and step children
- father, mother, in-laws or siblings of the offender
- any other relative or a person who is unable to look after himself or herself, who in the opinion of the court should be regarded as a member
In Singapore, a PPO can be applied for in the Family Court in person or through a Family Lawyer for ease and peace of mind. Protection Orders are not available to protect parties in non-marital intimate relationships.
In the event that a life is in danger, call the Police at 999 immediately.
Also READ: Little girls forced into sex trade by mother
(Source: The Straits Times, Channel NewsAsia)