New police command to be formed by 2023 to improve handling of sexual assault, family violence cases

A new police command will be formed by 2023 to investigate cases of sexual assault and family violence, Minister for Law and Home Affairs K Shanmugam announced on Tuesday (Apr 12). 

Officers in charge of the command will receive special training in handling sexual crime and family violence cases, as well as training in victim management skills, said Mr Shanmugam in a police seminar on sexual assault awareness as reported by local media.

Training will also be enhanced for investigation officers and frontline police officers to learn to manage sexual crime cases better. 

The Sexual Crime and Family Violence command is part of a series of initiatives by the Singapore Police Force to improve how sexual offences are handled.

The police also plan to survey sexual assault victims on a voluntary basis, to obtain feedback on existing processes, victim care measures and areas for improvement. 

In addition, ​​the police will launch a one-stop website to inform the public on the investigation processes for sexual assault cases, and provide support resources for victims. 

Another notable initiative is a new community-led charity organisation, SG Her Empowerment Limited (SHE), which will work with various organisations and platforms to provide better support to victims. 

SHE will provide support to victims of online and sexual harm, work with the Law Society to offer pro-bono legal advice, and aim to roll out programmes to enhance women’s development. 

The above initiatives are expected to arrive in the coming months, reported local media.