• March 8, 2018
• Law Watch

Reported in The Straits Times, 3 March 2018

Abused foreign domestic helpers are once again thrust into the spotlight. This time, justice is being served for them. The Supreme Court had, on 2 March 2018, laid out a new sentencing framework for perpetrators of maid abuse.
This comes after Chief Justice Sundresh Menon signaled a need to review such sentencing benchmarks upwards, for the obvious purpose of deterring future offenders.

Once the Court assesses seriousness, next up isPUNISHMENT:

It was noted that the Court should adjust each sentence when considering aggravating factors (e.g. use of a weapon; repeated abuse) as well as mitigating factors (e.g. abuser’s remorse). Finally, the Court decides which sentences will run consecutively, bearing in mind the duration and frequency of abuse.