“It should be investigated.” Desmond Tan asks Raeesah Khan for clarification on allegation of police mishandling rape victim

Singapore — In Parliament on Tuesday (Aug 3), Minister of State for Home Affairs Desmond Tan asked Raeesah Khan for clarification on a reference she had made in her speech concerning the police mishandling the case of a rape victim.

He wanted clarification regarding the details of the case, saying “We take any form of questions raised about how the police have handled or mishandled this case very seriously, and it should be investigated.”

Ms Khan (Workers’ Party-Sengkang GRC) had said that three years ago, she had gone with a survivor of rape to file a police report.

However, the interview with the police had ended with the victim, age 25, leaving the police station crying.

“The police officer had allegedly made comments about her dressing, and the fact that she was drinking,” the MP said.

She called for more training for police officers for handling similar situations and proposing that counsellors could also be present in police stations for this purpose.

Doing so would help more victims of sexual violence to come forward, she added, as well as add confidence to officers called upon to handle these situations.

However, she said in her answer to Mr Tan that her earlier speech “should not be construed as casting aspersions to the police,” adding that the police are part of the solution, “not the problem”.

She had mentioned the example since it was her “experience with a survivor” three years ago, and she added that she has been unsuccessful in getting in touch with them since then.

Ms Khan also said she would make it a point to communicate directly with the Ministry of Home Affairs regarding any incidents that would occur in the future “where a survivor believes she has been processed inappropriately by the police,” even as she endeavours to maintain confidentiality with the victims. 

“Like I mentioned, it was three years ago and I do not wish to retraumatise the person that I accompanied. But I have to say that these anecdotes are not isolated,” she said.

Ms Khan agreed with Mr Tan’s assertion that she should file a parliamentary question if she had specific queries on the issue.

Mr Tan’s request for clarification from Mr Khan may be viewed here.

Ms Khan’s answer to Mr Tan can be viewed here.

/TISG

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