Written Reply to Parliamentary Question on Sexual Assault Cases Involving Minors Under 16 Years Old in the Past Five Years

Question:

Mr Leon Perera: To ask the Minister for Home Affairs in each of the past five years (a) what percentage of sexual assault cases have involved minors under the age of 16; (b) how many cases of sexual assault involving minors under the age of 16 are reported to the Police; (c) how many cases of sexual assault involving minors are committed by family members or relatives; and (d) how have these victims of sexual assault been supported.

Answer:

Mr K Shanmugam, Minister for Home Affairs and Minister for Law:

1.   Between January 2018 and November 2022, there were 11,868 reports of sexual assault, which includes rape, sexual assault by penetration, outrage of modesty, and sexual offences involving children and vulnerable victims. The yearly breakdown of the figures is as follows:

2.   The Police work with social service agencies to provide victims with counselling support and interventions during and after investigations. Throughout the course of investigations, if the victim consents, Police can activate volunteers under the Victim Care Cadre Programme (VCCP) to provide emotional support. The Police also refer sexual assault victims to Care Corner Project StART, a family violence specialist centre which provides support to victims of violence, to augment the support provided under the VCCP.

3.   A Sexual Crime and Family Violence Command will be set up by 2023 to provide more support to victims of sexual crime and family violence. The existing One-Stop Abuse Forensic Examination Centre will also have an added dedicated victim care area to 8 enhance privacy and convenience for sexual crime victims during investigation processes.