Worker’s Party MP Raeesah Khan apologised for alleging that the SPF mishandled the case of the sexual assaults victim.
- Back Story :
On Aug, 3 during the WP’s motion on empowering women parliament MP Raeesah khan claimed that she had accompanied a 25-year-old rape victim to police station 3 years ago. She further claimed that police officer had made inappropriate comments about what the sexual assault victim was wearing while interviewing the victim & she had been drinking.
Law Minister Asks For More Details :
Minister K Shanmugam asked MP Raeesah for more details & said that such allegations would be investigated & will be taken seriously. MP Raeesah khan repeatedly declined to give more details on the incident stating the need for confidentiality. Minister said police will continue to investigate the claims made by MP and call her for an interview.
MP has not responded : SPF
On Oct, 20 SPF said that MP Raeesah did not respond to requests to provide details of the incident. They also said that they did not identify the sexual assault case that MP raised in paraliment.
Admitted to lying :
MP Raeesah apologised in parliment today, (Nov 01) for lying in parliament about details of sexual assault.
She said “The anecdote was shared by the survivor in a women’s support group for women which I was a part of. I did not share that I was a part of that group as I did not have the courage to publicly admit that I was a part of it. I attended the support group because i myself am a survivor of sexual assault”.
- “I was sexually assaulted” :
In her speech today in paraliment, MP Raeesah revealed she was sexually assaulted at the age of 18 while studying abroad and that incident continue to traumatise her till today.
“The fear and shame accompanying sexual assaults are extreme and long lasting. I should not have shared the survivor’s story without her consent, nor should I have said that I accompanied her to the police station when I had not. It was wrong to me to have done so” she added.
“I wish to correct the records by retracing the anecodote that i shared on Aug 3, and i wish to apologise to SPF”, MP said.
Leader of the house Indranee rajah spoker after Raeesah khan’s apology said “I just wanted to remind members of the house that when assertions and allegations are made, members must be prepared to substantiate”.
Pritam Singh Responds :
