SINGAPORE: Singapore’s Minister for Law and Home Affairs, K Shanmugam, has publicly criticised Chia Boon Teck, Vice-President of the Law Society of Singapore, over a series of controversial remarks made following the rape conviction of Singapore-based TikTok creator Lev Panfilov.
In a Facebook post on Monday (24 March), Shanmugam said he was “surprised” by Chia’s comments, which were posted on LinkedIn a day earlier.
In his post, Chia made several statements that could be interpreted as undermining the victim and trivialising the offence.
These included suggesting that the victim “knew what she was getting herself into” by meeting the defendant on the dating app Tinder, and implying that, as an “actress and model”, she understood the implications of her actions.
He also appeared to question the validity of her refusal, claiming that when she said “No”, she did not actually mean it, and that she had invited or allowed the assault to continue.
Chia further expressed disbelief about the sexual assault, appearing to make light of it by asking whether she was “awake throughout the marathon”.
He also cast doubt on her credibility by questioning her reluctance to file a police report, concluding that the entire incident “sounds rather like a date”.
Such views were deeply troubling, Shanmugam said.
“I am surprised that we still come across someone saying this: when a woman says ‘No’, she does not actually mean ‘No’,” he wrote.
He stressed that Chia’s comments effectively suggested the victim should not be believed—despite the High Court having found her to be “an unusually convincing witness” whose testimony was both internally and externally consistent.
While acknowledging that Chia was expressing a personal view, Shanmugam noted that, as Vice-President of the Law Society, Chia holds an influential role.
“My concern is that some people might actually think the views he has expressed reflect the norms in Singapore. And I worry about the impact his statement may have on other victims.”
He added that he felt compelled to share his own perspective, as well as the work done by his ministries to protect victims of sexual assault.
His hope, he said, was to give victims greater confidence to come forward and report their experiences.
Minister Outlines Reforms to Support Victims
Shanmugam then detailed the wide-ranging legislative and procedural reforms Singapore has implemented in recent years to better protect victims—particularly women—from sexual violence and harassment.
In 2012, Parliament repealed a provision in the Evidence Act that had allowed defence lawyers to question alleged rape victims about their sexual history to discredit them.
The clause, dating back to 1872, was based on the outdated notion that sexually active women were less credible.
Shanmugam called it “repugnant” and said its removal marked a critical turning point.
In 2014, the Protection from Harassment Act (POHA) was introduced, offering criminal and civil remedies for harassment, which disproportionately affects women.
Four years later, amendments to the Criminal Procedure Code and the Evidence Act were made to reduce the trauma of court proceedings for sexual assault victims.
These included restricting irrelevant cross-examination about appearance or past sexual activity and providing closed-door hearings by default during victim testimony.
In 2019, POHA was amended again to create a specialist Protection from Harassment Court and simplify the process for obtaining Protection Orders.
Legal protection was also extended to victims of intimate partner violence outside of marriage, which had previously been limited to spouses.
A landmark reform in 2020 saw the abolition of marital immunity for rape.
Shanmugam explained that a husband can now be prosecuted for rape if the wife does not give consent.
“No means no,” he emphasised. He cited a case in April 2024 where a man was convicted of raping his wife after she said no.
The court sentenced him to jail and caning.
In 2021, the sentencing framework for sexual and hurt offences was reviewed.
The Attorney-General’s Chambers adopted a general policy of objecting to rehabilitative sentences for adult offenders in such cases.
In 2022, penalties for sexual offences, including outrage of modesty, were increased.
To improve law enforcement response, the police established the Sexual Crime and Family Violence Command in 2023.
Officers in the unit receive specialised training to handle sexual crime and family violence cases.
That same year, they also launched the One-Stop Abuse Forensic Examination (OneSAFE) Centre, which had been piloted since 2017.
The facility provides greater privacy and support for victims undergoing forensic examinations.
Shanmugam also highlighted changes made to the divorce process and enforcement of maintenance orders.
These reforms have made it easier and less costly for women to assert their rights, particularly in situations involving financial or power imbalances.
“As I said earlier, we have been moving quite in the opposite direction from the personal views Mr Chia has expressed, no matter what institutional position he holds,” Shanmugam wrote.
A Call for Responsibility and Respect
In closing, Shanmugam urged society—and especially legal professionals—to avoid minimising or dismissing the experiences of victims.
“We ought to refrain from typecasting women, who are often victims of sexual assault.
Lawyers—particularly those in senior positions within the legal profession—need to be mindful that when we make statements which minimise or dismiss victims’ concerns, that can have a disproportionate impact on other victims—who may then not be willing to report what happened to them.”
He acknowledged that not every allegation should be taken at face value, and defendants must be allowed a full defence.
However, he emphasised that both inside and outside the courtroom, legal professionals must respect ethical boundaries.
“Shaming and blaming victims steps over the line. And misogyny should have no place in our society,” Shanmugam concluded.
Law Society Distances Itself from Vice-President’s Remarks
In response to the public backlash, the Law Society of Singapore issued a statement on its LinkedIn page on 24 March, distancing itself from Chia’s remarks.
The Society stated that it expects all members to adhere to the highest standards of professionalism and clarified that Chia’s comments were made in his personal capacity and did not represent the views of the Law Society.
It added that the matter is being given serious consideration in line with internal protocols and that further steps may be taken as appropriate.
Emphasising its commitment to justice and accountability, the Law Society assured the public that it will not hesitate to act when necessary to uphold professional standards.
The post “Shaming and blaming victims crosses the line”: Minister Shanmugam rebukes Chia Boon Teck’s rape case comments appeared first on The Online Citizen.
