SINGAPORE: The number of people sentenced for online child sexual abuse and exploitation offences last year, as well as the number of charges meted out, reached the highest levels since Singapore revised its laws five years ago to tackle such crimes.

The number of charges for such offences has crept up over the years. Last year, there were 27 charges meted out, up from 23 in 2023. In 2020, only three charges were filed in Singapore’s courts. 

There was also a steady increase in the number of people sentenced. Last year, there were 24 people sentenced, up from 16 in 2023. In 2020, there were two cases. 

However, these figures could be due to a single person having multiple charges and sentences.

The specific offences include possession and distribution of child abuse materials, and voyeuristic recording of a sexual nature.

Amendments to Singapore’s Penal Code have led to the introduction of specific punishable offences to better protect minors amid evolving threats.

The changes kicked in on Jan 1, 2020, with specific laws targeting the production, distribution, advertising and possession of child abuse material. 

Before this, offenders could only be convicted of other offences related to obscene films, which cover all kinds of pornography.

WHY ARE NUMBERS GOING UP?

Observers noted that there may not necessarily be more offenders. 

Cases may take years to investigate, and more time may be needed to sentence or introduce new charges. 

Enforcement efforts are also being stepped up. 

The Singapore Police Force (SPF) told CNA it is working more closely with international bodies to stop such crimes. 

“Globally, the situation of online child sexual exploitation has worsened with technological advancements, making it increasingly difficult for law enforcement agencies to tackle this crime,” said an SPF spokesperson. 

“This shows the need for greater international cooperation, and stronger safeguards to protect children from exploitation.”

SPF noted that with Singapore’s high internet penetration rate, “children here are vulnerable to online sexual exploitation and unsolicited sexual communications from strangers online”. 

A Specialised Crime Branch under SPF’s Criminal Investigation Department investigates child sexual exploitation materials. 

“Those who possess it create a demand and a supply for the materials,” said Superintendent Lim Hao Jun, head of the branch.

“There will then be people who try to meet the supply, and consequently children get abused. So those that possess child sexual abuse materials are also complicit in the sexual abuse of children.”

New technology such as artificial intelligence software is also being used to help officers process the sheer volume of sexual materials and sieve out those that involve children. 

Recently, the police also uncovered AI-generated child porn using photos downloaded online.

“Our children are having easy access to online platforms. This makes them more susceptible to offences like sextortion and also unsolicited sexual communication with adults online,” said SUPT Lim. 

“Globally, we are seeing this worrying trend where there's livestreaming of child sexual exploitation activities,” he added. 

“So offenders across the world will transmit money electronically to these abusers who could be either parents or guardians of the children, and they will sexually abuse the children in real time.”

With the cross-border nature of such crimes, Interpol has a database to allow investigators to share data on cases of child sexual abuse and match materials traced to suspects in Singapore.

Cooperation with police forces overseas has also been stepped up.

A recent five-week operation led to over 400 arrests for online child sexual exploitation, with seized items including 84 computers, 279 phones, 32 tablets, and 150 storage devices.

Those found guilty of possessing online child sexual abuse material can get up to five years’ jail and caning.

“Just like how it takes a village to raise a child, it takes a village as well to protect them from the scourges of these crimes,” said SUPT Lim. 

“These crimes leave an indelible mark on the young victims, and we should together, collectively as a society, protect them and look out for any risk that they will be exposed to online.”

TECH FIRMS’ ZERO-TOLERANCE POLICY

Meanwhile, tech firms are doing their part to fight the spread of child abuse materials and protect minors. 

Online video sharing platform YouTube told CNA that it has a zero-tolerance policy on child sexual abuse material. 

“No form of content that endangers minors is acceptable to us,” said a spokesperson. 

“We have heavily invested in the technology and teams to fight child sexual abuse and exploitation online and take swift action to remove it as quickly as possible.”

The spokesperson said that in the second quarter of last year alone, YouTube removed more than 164,000 channels and over 5 million videos globally for violations of its child safety policies. 

Facebook’s parent company Meta has created a dedicated platform, Take it Down, that supports minors who are concerned that intimate images they created might be shared without their consent on public online platforms.

“We want people to foster their online relationships in an environment where they feel safe,” said the tech firm. 

“We work closely with experts in mental health, child psychology, digital literacy and more, to build features and tools so people can connect online safely and responsibly.”

From April to June last year, Meta took action on 9.7 million pieces of content for child sexual exploitation. 

Short-form mobile video platform TikTok said on its website that it also adopts a zero-tolerance approach to content that violates its youth safety policies, including online child sexual exploitation and abuse and the sharing of child sexual abuse material.

HELPING VICTIMS

Despite the strict measures taken by tech firms, online abuse and exploitation of children can still happen, cautioned advocacy groups and observers. 

The Singapore Council Of Women's Organisations (SCWO), for instance, regularly counsels youths who are victims of sexual abuse.

For many of the victims, it can be a long journey to recovery.

“The impact on the child can be long-lasting and very profound, affecting every area of their life, emotionally and psychologically,” said SCWO deputy CEO Lorraine Lim.

“They may face a lot of anxiety, a lot of fear. They may have depressive symptoms, a sense of hopelessness, prolonged sadness, and also it may impact their brain development.”

Yet many child victims of online sex abuse stay silent due to shame and fear, and cases can go unnoticed if they do not share their ordeal. 

Experts told CNA that one solution is to have open conversations about device and internet use.

“It is progressive. It is watching the readiness of our children,” said digital literacy educator Carol Loi, adding that it involves role-modeling what parents do. 

“When they are older, when puberty hits, for example, they will be curious about more things,” added Ms Loi, who is the founder of social enterprise Village Consultancy.

“And so it is a continuous dance that parents and caring adults have with young people. We look at them at every stage of their development.”

TREATING MENTAL ILLNESS

Offenders who display sexual feelings towards children may have a paraphilic disorder, which is a recognised mental illness, said medical professionals. 

The number of those who come forward voluntarily to seek help is small, said Dr Soh Keng Chuan, consultant at the Institute of Mental Health’s (IMH) Department of Forensic Psychiatry. 

“Working with this group does not just benefit the individual but also can be seen as a form of service to the society in terms of seeking to protect the vulnerable ones who might be their potential victims.”

He added that treatment is available for individuals assessed to have a paraphilic disorder, including psychotherapy and medication that can reduce one's sex drive in certain select cases.

Treatment durations can range from at least two years for mild cases to at least five years for those with high risk of sexual violence. 

But Dr Soh said there may be barriers to treatment, “given how this is voluntary in nature”.

“Individuals might not come to terms with their problem or might be wary of facing stigma for seeking help,” he added. 

“Those who are seen may sometimes not be fully ready to consider certain treatment modalities, even if their condition is serious enough to justify the use of medications.”