I believe that by understanding Sufiah's unhappiness and reasons for abandoning her family and values, we can better understand her. The stress put on our own students by their parents and educators hopefully, will not lead to similar and tragic repressions.

Firstly, I believe that Sufiah had resorted to such desperate measures to earn a living not because she had no way of earning money. She could have easily sold her story, as Mr Marshall stated. I believe she was rebelling against the tight reins placed on her.

We already know about the strict upbringing and radical hothousing which led her to flee her home and disrupt her Oxford education.

Resorting to prostitution is a cry for help. My teenage child can fathom that.

In Singapore, we hear about teenagers who express their feelings by binge-eating or starving. In that sense, Sufiah, though no longer a teen, is trying to come to terms with her desperate situation.

I hope adults will not be so quick to condemn her. Instead, they should reflect on Sufiah's sorry story, take time to understand and empathise with their teens and children to prevent their loved ones from falling into the same unfortunate consequences.

Lemuel Poh