140 cases of child sex abuse material offences investigated by police since 2020: Sun Xueling

SINGAPORE - Children are facing a greater risk of being sexually exploited because of new technologies, and it is challenging for the authorities to prosecute the predators.

And the best way for international law enforcement to tackle this is to work together, said US Ambassador to Singapore Jonathan Kaplan on Sept 16.

He was speaking to about 180 officers and participants at the opening of the Child Forensic Interview Regional Workshop at the Police Cantonment Complex.

The five-day event ends on Sept 20. Its opening was attended by Minister of State for Home Affairs Sun Xueling.

The workshop is organised by the Singapore Police Force (SPF) and the US Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

HSI is the principal investigative arm of the US Department of Homeland Security and probes transnational crime and threats.

These include criminal organisations that exploit global infrastructure through which international trade, travel and finance move.

In his speech, Mr Kaplan said children are increasingly vulnerable to exploitation.

He said: “Unfortunately, our children face more dangers than ever because of new technologies. These technologies, such as live streaming, give criminals unprecedented reach in harming our kids.”

He noted that the rise of social media and online gaming platforms has allowed predators to communicate with children globally.

More advanced technologies, such as encrypted digital storage, have also made it harder for the authorities to gather evidence for prosecution.

Mr Kaplan added: “The challenges are great, but we know that our best chance of combating potential harm and protecting our kids is to work collaboratively with (international) partners.”

In her speech, Ms Sun said amendments made to the Penal Code in 2019 to better tackle technology-facilitated crimes have led to about 140 police investigations into cases involving child sexual abuse material.

She said that following a review of the Penal Code, the new laws criminalised the entire spectrum of activities pertaining to child sexual abuse material.

Dedicated laws in the Penal Code, introduced on Jan 1, 2020, criminalise the production, distribution, advertising and possession of child abuse material.

Ms Sun said that as crime evolves, especially with advances in technology, so too must Singapore’s legal framework.

She said: “The transnational nature of child sexual exploitation, criminal activities and the proliferation of the internet and social media pose challenges to law enforcement efforts.”

Officers from Singapore, Hong Kong, Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines and Thailand are attending the workshop.

SPF said the workshop aims to equip officers with specialised skills, such as advanced forensic interviewing techniques, and establish a network of child forensic interviewers across the region.

Participants will learn techniques to interview children that will allow the police to gather evidence to identify and prosecute perpetrators, while prioritising the well-being of child victims.

The SPF and HSI previously organised the inaugural Crimes Against Children Regional Forum in July 2023 in Singapore.

Transnational threat

Child exploitation remains a threat locally and internationally, as criminals become more transnational in nature.

Ms Sun said: “Child exploitation and trafficking do not respect national borders.

“Perpetrators often operate across jurisdictions, taking advantage of disparities in legal systems and enforcement capabilities, and using the anonymity provided by cyberspace to evade justice.”

That is where international cooperation comes in, she added.

A global operation involving police officers from Singapore, Hong Kong and South Korea between Feb 26 and March 29 uncovered

four victims from the Republic.

A total of 272 suspects were arrested across the three jurisdictions, including 28 in Singapore for allegedly possessing, gaining access to and distributing child abuse materials.

International cooperation between global law enforcement agencies has also led to successful convictions.

In December 2022, a teenager in Singapore was

sentenced to 18 months’ probation

for having more than 1,200 explicit images and videos of child abuse.

Interpol’s Canada branch had alerted SPF to an internet protocol address linked to the transmission of child abuse material.

Said Ms Sun: “Since online sexual communication can take place across borders, we have made sure that our laws apply to such communications if either the victim or the offender is in Singapore at the time of the communication.”

Those convicted of possessing or gaining access to child abuse material can be jailed for up to five years, and fined or caned.

Those convicted of distributing, selling or offering child abuse material for sale, or possessing child abuse material for the purpose of distribution, can be jailed for up to seven years, and can also be fined or caned.

Anyone convicted of possessing any obscene film can be fined up to $20,000, jailed for up to six months, or both.

Recent cases in 2024

Aug 19

Gan Qi Xuan, 26, admitted to

downloading and storing child pornography

from the dark web on his personal devices over eight years.

His home was raided, and 178 videos and 153 pictures were found. He will be sentenced on Oct 3.

Aug 16

Wang Dian, 27, was sentenced to 15 months’ and two weeks’ jail for possession of child pornography.

He became addicted to viewing child pornography after first viewing it online in 2019.

He was arrested on Sept 9, 2020, after he was found with

57 video clips

of children engaging in sexual activities.

Aug 16

Casino dealer Liew Yih Fui, 31, was sentenced to 21 months’ jail for downloading more than 750 child pornography videos over four years.

Aug 15

Teacher Eugene Quake, 40, was sentenced to 13 months’ jail after being found with

10 pictures containing child abuse

material.

The police raided his home on March 15, 2023. He was suspended from teaching after his arrest.