Many Netizens Claim Unpleasant Experiences When Reporting Sexual Assaults
When someone has been sexually assaulted, they’re usually at their most vulnerable.
If a victim picks up the courage to seek help and wants their assailant to be punished, many people would advise them to report it to the police.
However, some have allegedly had unpleasant experiences when they’ve tried to do just that – resulting in greater distress.
Several have recounted these negative incidents in a viral Instagram thread.
A question for Singapore’s women
Comedian Sharul Channa set the ball rolling when she asked the women of Singapore a question on 4 Oct.
She wanted to know whether any of them had ever made a police report related to sexual harassment or assault.
She was interested in knowing whether the report was handled sensitively for those who did.
Many had something to contribute
It seems many had something to respond to Ms Channa’s question, as it triggered an avalanche of replies.
Netizens were still leaving comments as recently as 1 day ago, despite the question being posted 2.5 months ago.
Most of them related stories that contained 1 or more of the following:
- Insensitive questions/statements
- Victim blaming
- Appearing to sympathise with the alleged assailant
- Being dismissive of victim’s assault
- Taking ages to get back on the case
Many of the allegations made were rather dreadful. We chose a few of them.
Warning: Some of the following stories are lurid and may be triggering, especially to victims of sexual assault. Discretion is advised.
Insensitivity towards victim
One alleged rape victim had the horrifying experience of having photos and videos taken of her.
She was trembling and in tears while taking the brave step of reporting this to the police.
However, she claimed the officer asked to take a photo of her so they could “match” the explicit images to her.
This request apparently triggered her, and she ran out of the station in tears, she said. Read her story here:
Complaint not taken seriously
Another netizen who’s ostensibly a nurse said she was touched inappropriately by a patient in her ward.
She claimed that when it was reported to the police, a female Investigating Officer (IO) spoke to her like it was her fault.
Later, she said another IO appeared to sympathise with the alleged assailant, pointing out that he would have another black mark and he had a wife and kids.
After 2 years with no updates, they finally got back to her, but she said she’d already left the hospital – the IO then allegedly remarked that she should drop the case.
It seems like her complaint wasn’t taken seriously the entire time. Read the story here:
Dismissive of harassment cases
A group of young girls from the same school were being harassed online by a guy, this netizen said, so she reported him to the police with evidence.
However, they allegedly told her that she didn’t seem distressed enough by the harassment since she could make a police report about it.
She also claimed that the officer had informed her of the distinction between harassment and non-harassment cases when it really should be the victim who decides whether they’re being harassed or not.
This incident happened despite her being 16 and the other girls aged below 16. Read her story here:
Victim blaming based on attire
Many of the response centred around victim blaming, especially regarding what they were wearing.
One netizen alleged that the police asked her to stand up to evaluate what she was wearing, adding that she may have given him the idea that she liked it.
They also allegedly refused to let her speak with a female officer. Read what she said here:
Inflicting more trauma onto victim
Many of these accounts, if true, would’ve inflicted more trauma on the victim.
One netizen said the IO in her case treated her like a criminal and caused her more trauma. She would sue if she could.
She also referred to former Sengkang MP Raeesah Khan, saying,
RKA was wrong for lying & but she’s right, actually.
She ostensibly meant that Ms Khan was wrong for lying that she accompanied a rape victim to the police station when she’d actually heard the account in a women’s support group that both of them were part of.
MP Raeesah Khan Apologises For Telling Untruth About Accompanying Friend To Police Station
Ms Khan also alleged that the woman had run out of the police station in tears after the police officer who interviewed her made comments about her dressing and drinking.
However, she hoped that her lie wouldn’t deter survivors of sexual violence from reporting their assaults.
The netizen felt that Ms Khan was right about bringing up the incident.
Looking to Parliament for help
A netizen said she was “sad and angry” reading the stories in the thread.
She and other respondents also wished that Parliament would resolve this real issue with as much vigour as they did going after Ms Khan for her untruths.
It depends on the IO
Thankfully, not all the comments painted a poor picture of our law enforcers.
A netizen claimed the first time she made a report, a female officer thought she was lying because she was “wearing a baggy T-shirt and shorts”.
However, the second time, she got a respectful and tactful IO.
Thus, she concluded that the IO is the one who makes a difference.
Another woman seemed to agree, saying she was fortunate to meet nice IOs and officers, too, who handled the situation well.
Survivors deserve to be heard
Nobody wants to be in a situation where they have to seek police help due to sexual assault.
But if these survivors are strong enough to do so, they deserve to be heard properly, and taken seriously.
Because it’s never a person’s fault when they’re sexually assaulted. And the only person who can decide whether they’ve been sexually assaulted or not is themselves.
If the numerous incidents shared in the thread are true, it’s an issue that should be addressed urgently.
Do you agree that we could handle reports on sexual assault better? Do share your thoughts with us.
EDITOR’S NOTE: We are unable to verify every individual story in the viral Instagram thread. But the MS News team believes in covering the story to raise awareness. It is important not to dismiss these stories due to the sheer number of accounts being shared.
Have news you must share? Get in touch with us via email at news@mustsharenews.com.
Featured image adapted from Alexander Krivitskiy at Unsplash and Sharul Channa on Instagram.
