The president of the Law Society of Singapore, Lisa Sam Hui Min, has called for the resignation of its vice-president, Chia Boon Teck, over remarks he made regarding a rape survivor.
In a public statement issued at around 1am on 25 March 2025, Sam said Chia should step down both as vice-president and as a council member.
“The victim’s morality should not have been questioned in this manner,” she said.
Sam described his comments as “inimical for a person in a position of leadership to espouse,” stressing that such views were inconsistent with the Law Society’s values.
Chia, who is co-managing director at Chia Wong LLP, has faced growing pressure to resign after he posted a controversial LinkedIn commentary on 22 March 2025.
The post concerned the conviction of local TikTok personality and scriptwriter Lev Panfilov, who was found guilty of two counts of rape, one count of sexual assault by penetration, and one count of outrage of modesty.
In his post, Chia described the 30-year-old female victim as “not exactly a babe in the woods” and remarked, “Wow. Was she awake during this marathon?” in reference to the prolonged sexual assault.
He also stated that meeting someone via the dating app Tinder meant one should have different expectations compared to platforms like LinkedIn.
The post, which included ten points criticising aspects of the victim’s conduct, was widely condemned as victim-shaming.
Legal professionals swiftly responded, many urging Chia to resign from his leadership role within the Law Society.
The post was deleted at about 9pm on 23 March, after screenshots of it were shared on LinkedIn and commented upon. He has since removed his LinkedIn account.
Singapore’s Minister for Law and Home Affairs, K Shanmugam, publicly criticised Chia on 24 March, saying he was “surprised” and “troubled” by the remarks.
In a Facebook post, Shanmugam said the views expressed by Chia were inconsistent with Singapore’s legal reforms and could deter victims from reporting crimes.
“My concern is that some people might actually think the views he has expressed reflect the norms in Singapore,” the minister wrote.
He emphasised the government’s efforts to improve protections for victims of sexual violence over the past decade.
Among these were the repeal in 2012 of a clause in the Evidence Act that allowed questions about a victim’s sexual history, and the introduction of the Protection from Harassment Act in 2014.
Subsequent reforms included stronger sentencing guidelines, greater privacy protections in court, and specialised support facilities like the OneSAFE Centre.
Shanmugam also highlighted the abolition of marital immunity for rape in 2020 and the establishment of a specialised command within the police for handling sexual and family violence.
His comments came alongside concerns that legal professionals—especially those in senior positions—must not minimise victims’ experiences or spread harmful stereotypes.
Stefanie Yuen-Thio, joint managing partner at TSMP Law Corporation, was among the first to call out Chia’s post and comments. She later echoed the minister’s concerns and expressed support for the Law Society’s stance.
She praised the Law Society’s decisive response and said it was essential that the legal profession make clear it does not condone such views.
In her own LinkedIn post, Yuen-Thio also reflected on the impact the controversy may have had on the survivor, expressing regret if the public debate had retraumatised her.
“If it has, I want to say how sorry I am to have brought the memories of a terrible experience again to the fore,” she wrote. “The first priority when a crime has been committed should be to protect and care for those they are perpetrated against.”
Following Yuen-Thio’s post, the Association of Women for Action and Research (AWARE) issued a statement supporting her stance and condemning Chia’s remarks.
“She is right,” AWARE said. “Let’s be clear: going on a Tinder date, entering someone’s bedroom, or being an actress or model is not consent to sex. Saying ‘No’ means no — full stop.”
AWARE emphasised that the real harm was not just the tone of Chia’s post, but how it reflected broader attitudes that continue to discredit victims, even after strong judicial findings in their favour.
Citing its work with survivors, the group noted that fear of disbelief is one of the main reasons seven in ten do not report sexual assault.
“When senior legal figures echo such views, it reinforces a culture of victim-blaming and undermines trust in the justice system,” AWARE said.
“Rape is a crime. Let’s stop blaming the victim.”
The Law Society of Singapore had earlier issued a statement on 24 March distancing itself from Chia’s comments, asserting that they were made in his personal capacity and did not reflect the Society’s official position.
The statement affirmed the Society’s commitment to professional conduct and its intention to take appropriate action under internal protocols.
Chia has yet to issue a formal response to the calls for his resignation.
However, public and professional pressure continues to mount, with many in the legal community urging accountability and respect for victims of sexual offences.
The controversy has triggered broader discussions around victim-blaming, misogyny, and the ethical responsibilities of those in legal leadership.
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