In a harrowing case of sexual abuse, a 20-year-old man pleaded guilty on Monday (Feb 5) to sexually assaulting his younger sister in their home.
Starting when she was eight years old, a girl allegedly endured sexual abuse from her four biological brothers for approximately four years.
On Monday (Feb 5), one of the brothers confessed to his involvement. He pleaded guilty to one count of aggravated sexual assault and had an additional seven charges taken into account, according to Channel News Asia.
To protect the victim’s identity, the 20-year-old man, who was 16 or 17 when the abuse took place, cannot be named. According to court testimony, the victim, who is currently 14 years old, has four brothers and two sisters, and she is the oldest among her sisters.
The victim endured the alleged abuse at the hands of her four biological brothers beginning when she was eight years old.
The court revealed that by the time the accused started committing his offenses, his three older brothers had already sexually assaulted the girl on at least one prior occasion, according to the report.
WHAT HAPPENED :
According to court documents, the abuse took place in the family home, where all seven children resided with their parents. The boys had their own bedroom known as the “boys’ room,” while the girls shared a separate “girls’ room”. Family rules strictly forbade the boys from entering the girls’ room unless necessary, such as using the mirror to comb their hair.
However, the accused repeatedly violated this rule, using the opportunity to rest, play games, and sexually assault his sister. The victim, sensing the danger, would attempt to resist but eventually succumbed and stopped resisting out of fear.
The accused, who is the second youngest of the four brothers, decided to sexually assault his sister between 2018 and 2022 to satisfy his own sexual desires, despite knowing that the girl did not consent to these acts.
During the court session, it was revealed that the offender was aware of the ongoing abuse inflicted by his two elder brothers upon his sister. Shockingly, the offender chose to remain silent, failing to report or intervene in the heinous acts, as stated by the court.
The man was 16 or 17 when he sexually assaulted his sister. The abuse occurred at least four times in the girls’ room within 2020 alone, the report added.
The second youngest among the four brothers is the offender.
In terms of age, his brothers are 23, 22, and 18 respectively. Throughout the years 2018 to 2022, when the alleged offenses were committed against their sister, they were aged between 13 and 21.
AFRAID
During 2020, when the perpetrator was 16 to 17 years old, the victim was approximately 10 to 11 years old and in primary 5. The man made the decision to sexually assault the victim in order to fulfill his sexual desires, and would engage in inappropriate physical contact with her whenever he felt the urge.
According to the prosecution, despite her brother’s persistence, the girl chose not to resist because “she already knew what was going to happen and was afraid”.
The victim remained silent about the abuse for years, pretending to be happy by putting on a smile while feeling stressed and sad inside. However, in February 2022, she found the courage to confide in her secondary school, which promptly reported the abuse.
The Ministry of Social and Family Development was alerted, and a police report followed.
Since then, the victim has experienced anxiety, guilt, and self-blame for not stopping her brothers when they abused her. She sought help from a school counselor and was subsequently examined by a psychiatrist at the Child Guidance Clinic, who recommended a safe and supportive environment, as well as counseling for her recovery.
A victim impact statement revealed that the young girl felt disconnected from her family and had not seen her younger sisters for a year. She also expressed feeling targeted by her parents’ frustration and believed that her mother blamed her for the abuse.
Additionally, a medical examination at KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital confirmed that the victim had her first period around the age of 10, was not sexually active other than the assault, and did not acquire any sexually transmitted diseases.
The accused was arrested on Feb 11, 2022, and initially denied any involvement in the sexual assault. However, he later admitted to committing the crime on at least two occasions.
While awaiting sentencing, the defense lawyer requested a reformative training suitability report for the accused, highlighting the need for rehabilitation. The prosecutors, however, urged the court to impose a sentence of eight to nine years in jail accompanied by 12 strokes of the cane.
As the cases of the three other brothers implicated in this shocking ordeal are still pending, the sentencing for the accused has been adjourned to a later date.
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