SINGAPORE: The former vice-president of the Law Society of Singapore, Chia Boon Teck, who sparked significant public backlash for his comments about a rape survivor, has vowed to “reflect and change”.
In a meeting on 10 April, Chia met with Minister for Home Affairs and Law, K. Shanmugam, where he acknowledged the harm caused by his remarks.
Chia, who is also the co-managing director at Chia Wong Chambers, became embroiled in controversy after posting a statement on LinkedIn about a High Court case in which Lev Panfilov was convicted of raping a woman he had met on the dating app Tinder.
The post, which has since been taken down, included several insensitive remarks about the victim.
Among his controversial comments, Chia wrote, “Tinder ain’t no LinkedIn,” referencing how the victim and the perpetrator had met.
He further disparaged the 30-year-old victim, saying she was “not exactly a babe in the woods” and made a distasteful comment about the assault, questioning whether the victim had been “awake during this marathon”.
The remarks were met with intense criticism from both the public and legal community, with many calling them offensive and harmful, particularly to other victims of sexual assault.
Minister Shanmugam responded publicly to the situation, describing Chia’s comments as “quite inappropriate” and expressing concern about the impact such views might have on the wider public’s perception of sexual assault cases.
In a Facebook post, Shanmugam revealed that Chia had requested the meeting to address the controversy.
The minister shared that during their conversation, he had suggested that Chia engage in a deeper reflection to better understand the gravity of his remarks.
“I told Mr Chia that he needed to reflect on his comments, and his approach. I suggested that he consider a journey of deeper reflection and understanding, appreciate that his remarks were quite wrong,” Shanmugam said.
Chia responded by stating his intention to reflect on his actions, change his approach, and find ways to contribute positively to society.
On 25 March, following mounting pressure, Chia stepped down from his roles as vice-president and council member of the Law Society.
Lisa Sam Hui Min, president of the Law Society, had earlier called for his resignation, emphasising that his comments were inconsistent with the values upheld by the professional body.
“We expect members of the Law Society to maintain the highest standards of integrity and respect for all members of society, especially vulnerable individuals,” she stated.
The incident has reignited discussions about the treatment of rape victims and the ongoing need for legal reforms to prevent victim-blaming and perpetuating harmful stereotypes.
Singapore has made significant strides in recent years in improving the legal handling of sexual assault cases, including the repeal of a provision in the Evidence Act in 2012, which previously allowed defence lawyers to question the moral character of alleged victims.
In response to Chia’s remarks, gender advocacy group Aware spoke out, with its director of advocacy and research, Sugidha Nithiananthan, emphasising the importance of reframing legal conversations around sexual violence.
Both Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon and Justice Vincent Hoong have consistently highlighted the necessity of eliminating rape myths and victim-blaming in judicial processes.
Chia’s resignation marks a significant consequence of his comments, highlighting the growing public awareness and sensitivity surrounding the issue of sexual violence.
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