She was so tired, she ended up falling asleep on the sofa. She woke up and realised she had missed a night cycling event her dad had signed her up for. She was terrified. She knew her father wasn’t going to spare her for that.
Renders fake apology
According to The Straits Times, the girl’s father, a security guard, returned home that evening, drunk and in a foul mood. He started off by shouting at his wife and slamming the door a few times.
The girl sensed that it going to be her turn next. She did not dare call the police for fear of her father. Terrified, she ran out with her stepmother, and sat on a nearby bench.
Her father soon found them. He apologised for his behaviour and persuaded them to return home.
Singaporean dad hits daughter
But once they were back, he changed gear. He yelled at his daughter for missing the cycling event. She remained silent.
Rage got the better of him, and he turned violent. He punched his daughter in the stomach, arms and chest, not sparing even the face and mouth, causing her to bleed from the mouth. His wife begged him to stop, but he wouldn’t.
He even poked her stomach with a mechanical pencil and kicked her on the head after she fell.
Finally, he asked his daughter to call up the night cycling organiser, so that she could still turn up for the event. She agreed and pretended to do so, out of fear, and fled the flat with her stepmother.
The stepmother later called the Ministry of Social and Family Development and reported the abuse. The girl was taken to KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital. She had a 1.5cm-long mark on her forehead and a 3.5cm-long scar on her arm.
Abusive dad gets jailed
On Thursday (Jan 19), the 43-year-old abusive father was sentenced to 15 months’ jail for the horrific abuse his teenage daughter was subject to. Apparently, this was not the only time; his wife and daughter have had to bear physical threats and violent abuse daily for at least seven years.
District Judge Low Wee Ping called the abuse cruel, “I will not be wrong to say you tortured her and gave her a life of terror. Your wife was also terrorised on that particular night. She did not know what to do. She cannot even stop you and I agree with the learned prosecutor your violence was sustained, alcohol-driven.”
How abuse affects children
As parents, many a time we take out our own frustrations on the helpless kids. Rarely do we realise how it affects our child’s social and emotional development. This is how repeated abuse affects children:
- Depression and loss of self esteem: Abused children have trouble managing their emotions. They may act withdrawn, fearful, depressed, have low self-esteem, or engage in self-harm, like cutting. In extreme cases, they might even contemplate or attempt suicide. Some kids become bullies and have problems managing their anger. Many have nightmares or trouble sleeping. They may encounter learning problems and find it difficult to focus. They may also feel worthless and damaged.
- Relationship issues: Victims of abuse usually have trouble developing and maintaining relationships. They find it very difficult to love people or to know who is trustworthy. As adults they are unaware of what a good relationship is. They may even end up being fearful of other adults.
- Troubled adult life: When abused or neglected children grow up, they are more likely to
abuse their own families and use violence to solve their problems. They are also prone to substance abuse like alcohol or drugs to numb out painful feelings.
Also READ: Why you should not cane your child
(Source: The Straits Times)
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