SINGAPORE (ANN/THE STRAITS TIMES) – A recent study in Singapore has revealed that younger victims of sexual abuse typically take longer to report their experiences compared to older victims.
This research, which focused on child sexual abuse cases and factors contributing to delayed disclosure, found that, on average, there was a gap of about 32 months—or two years and eight months—between the initial abuse and when the authorities were notified.
The study examined 252 cases referred to the Clinical and Forensic Psychology Service (CFPS) at the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) between 2017 and 2021. These cases involved 227 females and 25 males, all under the age of 21.
The CFPS is a specialised department that provides psychological assessments and therapy for victims of abuse.
The majority of these cases were referred by the Child Protective Service at MSF, which saw 1,343 cases of child sexual abuse from 2017 to 2021.
Those abused by siblings who lived with them took the longest time to disclose the abuse, taking an average of about 46 months, or almost four years.
Cases involving acquaintances came to light the fastest, with an average of about 13 months.
Another factor that delayed disclosure was the severity of abuse experienced, which can range from exposure to sexual stimuli to forced intercourse.
Those who experienced more severe abuse were more likely to take a longer time to report it.
This is the first known study on child sexual abuse and delayed disclosure in Singapore, according to the authors, a team of MSF psychologists who have worked with many child victims of sexual abuse. These include lead author Pooja Hemanth and co-author Tan Li Jen.
The study, published in academic journal Child Abuse and Neglect in January, found that the average age when child sexual abuse first occurred was 10. The longest time it took to disclose such abuse was about 15 years.
The findings implied that delayed disclosure is a common and serious problem among victims of child sexual abuse in Singapore, said Pooja, principal clinical psychologist and assistant director at CFPS.
A 22-year-old man was sentenced to 18 years’ jail and 24 strokes of the cane on May 21 for sexually assaulting his sister. He and three other brothers sexually assaulted their sister from 2018 to 2022, when she was between eight and 12 years old.
The girl, now 14, had felt bad for reporting her brothers and found the courage to tell the school authorities only in 2022.
In the study, the average age when abuse started was around eight years old for male victims and around 10 years old for female victims. This implied that the abuse may start well before the victims are fully aware of what sexual abuse is, said Pooja.
There are many barriers to disclosure for children and youth, she said. For instance, the abuser might have convinced the victim that the abusive actions were normal acts of love.
“Even for victims who realised that it was abusive, some were afraid of not being believed and feared that the abuser would take revenge on them for disclosing (the abuse). Some victims wanted to tell someone about what was happening, but did not know how to initiate the conversation, or who to tell,” she said.
These findings imply that special attention must be paid to encouraging earlier disclosure from victims who are younger, had experienced more severe types of sexual abuse, or who were abused by an in-home caregiver, she added.
The authors hope that the findings would provide information to help the different systems – from education to social service to law enforcement – to enhance measures to encourage victims to report abuse earlier, said Ms Pooja.
“(This is) so that the abuse can be stopped, and victims can have access to the necessary intervention to recover from what they have experienced.”
The authors noted that the study’s sample of 252 cases was a subset of the 1,343 child sexual abuse cases that CPS investigated from 2017 to 2021. Hence, the findings may not be generally applicable to all victims in Singapore.
Barriers in reporting abuse
Referring to instances when children are sexually abused by family members, Lin Xiaoling, director and group lead of research and advocacy at Singapore Children’s Society, said they may have a sense of loyalty towards their family, wanting it to stay intact and for everyone to be happy.
“There is a greater betrayal of trust to overcome for disclosure to come about,” she said.
Previous reports indicated that there were 247 sexual assault cases with victims below 16 years old who were allegedly abused by family members and relatives in 2021. There were 190 cases between January and November 2022.
The 2021 figure is up from 186 cases in 2020 and 153 cases in 2019.
Separately, a study in 2021 on child sexual abuse cases at KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital (KKH) emergency department showed that girls below the age of 13 were more frequently abused by a family member and abused in their own homes, compared with older girls.
The perpetrators were predominantly men, at 96.6 per cent, while 94.8 per cent of the victims were girls.
The study found that almost 60 per cent of the 790 child sexual abuse patients between 2016 and 2020 at KKH had experienced more than one incident before they visited the hospital’s emergency department. About 40 per cent of the abuse first occurred before the age of 13.
Young children may not recognise sexual abuse, especially if these were carried out by someone they trust, said counselling psychologist Lau Wan Xin from clinical practice Pink Elephant.
Power differences, threats of harm, and even feelings of shame and self-blame can make the process of disclosure challenging, she said.
“Should the abuse be done by one parent or sibling, it is equally hard for the other parent to accept the disclosure as they, too, share a trusting relationship with the abusive partner or their other child,” she said, adding that this may lead to potential downplaying of the abuse.
Peter Wong, a senior consultant at KKH’s department of emergency medicine, said child sexual abuse may have lifelong effects on mental health, future relationships and behaviours. He is also a member of the hospital’s Suspected Child Abuse and Neglect team.
Children might worry about potential consequences of disclosure, which may include parents getting angry at them or getting the perpetrator – who may be a close family member they are fond of – in trouble, he said.
Pooja said that while the MSF study included cases that were reported, there are still child sexual abuse victims in the community who are struggling with the dilemma of whether or not to report the abuse.
She said: “Preventing and detecting child sexual abuse require a collective effort from everyone in society.”
