The ongoing online vice ring saga which has already implicated 48 men who have been charged for having commercial sex with a minor has polarized public opinion in Singapore.
While some feel the identity of the prostitute should be kept confidential as she is still young, others want her to be shamed publicly as well to take responsibility for her actions.
In an interview with the media, prominent criminal lawyer Subhas Anandan who is acting for 10 of the men being charged pointed out bluntly that the girl does not deserve any protection under the law:
“How is anybody going to know what he is charged for when you don’t know who the girl is, and what her age is? Who are they trying to protect? As far as I am concerned, this girl does not deserve protection as she is a HARDCORE PROSTITUTE who got so many men into trouble”
However Young PAP Chairman and MP Teo Ser Luck disagrees.
Speaking to queries from the media, Mr Teo said:
“No matter what she did, she is still young. Exposing her identity in the media will not do anybody any good.”
His views were supported by another fellow MP Halimah Yacob who opined her future should be safe-guarded:
“Everyone deserves a chance to repent. The most important thing is, she should receive proper counseling in the future to prevent her from prostituting herself again.”
Despite her well intentions, it is highly unlikely that she will receive any ‘counseling’ in the first place because she is not charged for any offences and the authorities have no right to compel her to attend any counseling session unlike other juvenile offenders.
As she is 18 years old now, it remains to be seen if she will continue selling her body for easy and quick cash after this fiasco which only punishes her clients and allows her to get away without paying a price for it.