Judging from the furious reactions of Straits Times Facebook users over what a youth said to a domestic helper, the saying, "Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me", does not ring true.

Referring to a dispute between Ng Jia Sheng, now 20, and his family's domestic helper, a deputy public prosecutor had said earlier: "During the altercation, the accused told the victim that she was only a maid, was poor and had no right to be in Singapore."