Following a blog on the legal situation of a former Wah! member, an office-bearer of the Law Society of Singapore has sparked an online backlash on Linked In. Actor from Banana who was found guilty of sexual abuse.
In a social media post over the weekend, attorney Chia Boon Teck, the vice-president of the Law Society, made a comment about the well-known event involving Lev Panfilov, but his words have drawn criticism from the legitimate community, with lawyers calling his remarks “victim-shaming.”
In a reply to CNA, Mr. Chia, who was not Panfilov’s defense attorney, has since removed the article and made inquiries about his remarks.
A High Court judge found Panfilov guilty last Friday ( Mar 21 ) of raping, molesting, and sexually assaulting a woman he met through Tinder on January 12, 2021. Panfilov is a permanent resident of Singapore and a resident of Russia.
Before the match returned to his chamber where he sexually assaulted the sufferer, Panfilov met the target at a Wine Connection restaurant the day of the crime. Panfilov has not yet received a sentence for the atrocities.
Justice Pang Khang Chau, who handed down the guilty verdict on Friday, stated that the victim had been an “unusually convincing” witness, but he also noted that her account of her evidence was” not without difficulty.” He cited a number of arguments in favor of this, but he finally accepted that there were valid reasons.
Mr. Chia, who is the co-managing chairman of the law company Chia Wong Chambers, made a comment on the situation in a LinkedIn post, stating that some inquiries had come up from a media statement he had read about it. The initial article is no longer accessible, but additional LinkedIn users have shared it in pictures.
In his opening post, Mr. Chia said,” People who take one night stands does want take note of themselves from assault, or accusations of attack.”
Finally, Mr. Chia continued to list ten of the report’s details, each with his comments. He pointed out the four crimes that Panfilov was found guilty of and said,” Wow. She remained alive throughout the workout. ”
In another, Mr. Chia cited the defendant’s age and her role as an actress and model, adding,” But not simply a babe in the trees,” “
The victim also stated that she “hoped to get some script-writing advice from ( Panfilov)” and that she had just met him on Tinder at that late hour. “
Among his comments, popular attorneys, including TSMP Law Corporation’s combined managing partner, Ms. Stefanie Yuen Thio, have criticized him. In a profligately phrasing LinkedIn post, Ms. Thio criticized Mr. Chia’s remarks, claiming that the conversation went beyond” just comment on a legal situation.”
Ms. Thio compared Mr. Chia’s remarks to victim-shaming, which, according to her, “goes against what the authorities have really said is correct cross-examination.”
” I’m disgusted by this perspective from someone who holds the position of a head of the table. I ask him to reveal himself to the legitimate brotherhood, both men and women. He may step downward from Council of the Law Society if there is an appropriate reason, she continued.
Her article, which echoes similar sentiments, has been responded to by other well-known attorneys, including criminal defense attorney Shashi Nathan from Withers KhattarWong and lawyer Clarence Unit from Fervent Chambers. Some have demanded that Mr. Chia resign from his position with the Law Society and make an apology.
Mr. Chia has served as the Law Society’s vice-president since August 2023 and was its manager due to that. His page on his law firm’s website indicates that he has done so since then.
The Law Society responded to inquiries from CNA by saying it was informed of Mr. Chia’s social media post and is considering the situation.
MR CHIA Listens
Mr. Chia responded to questions from CNA on Monday night, saying that his initial article was intended to draw people’s attention to their contextual consciousness and not to blame any particular party.
He claimed that the media report on the event “raised some red-flag situations” that the sufferer and Panfilov experienced at the time of the offence.
My goal with this article was to draw attention to people’s contextual attention so they can avoid being assaulted or accused of assaulting. He said,” I was expressing my opinions as a legal attorney.”
I have always provided remark on criminal cases and insights on how to avoid situations where legal action may not always be enough. “
He continued to say that he appreciated the points raised regarding his position.
As a criminal lawyer, my goal was not to blame anyone, but to highlight the value of situational awareness in order to protect against being assaulted and to prevent deeds that might eventually be taken as a bad thing.
My remarks were intended to spur discussion on how people can better defend themselves in social settings. It’s more important to comprehend real-world challenges than to shift role. ”
AWARE WEIGHS IN
In a Facebook post on Monday, the Association of Women for Action and Research ( AWARE ) expressed its disapproval of Mr. Chia’s remarks, noting that they are offensive. It is risky. ”
The women’s rights organization claimed none of these components were assent to sex in light of the same assertions made by Mr. Chia.
The true harm is not just the commentary’s mocking voice. Even after 13 weeks of cross-examination, a High Court judge will also find a victim as ‘unusually encouraging ’ and will still be publicly doubted, dissected, and discredited. that her years, career, and dating history are all good. The team claimed in its publish that saying “no” wasn’t enough.
The team added that it was informed by patients grappling every day at its Physical Assault Care Centre; seven out of ten sufferers choose not to record their suffering, which is ultimately followed by seven others.
The concern of astonishment is the most prevalent purpose, according to the article. When those in older legitimate positions share these beliefs, it perpetuates the victim-blaming mentality that we need to end. It has an impact on how people perceive the justice program. Whether victims report to the fairness system is affected, according to the organization.
This is not just negative for individuals, he said. It harms the justice system’s people confidence. These kinds of information are not available everywhere, especially from those in power. When a person has been sexually assaulted, she shouldn’t have to defend her figure, her outfit, her career, or her dating background. A crime is murder. Let’s stop blaming the target for their rape. “