US Homeland Security Joint Investigations – Singapore Police Force Regional Workshop on Forensic Interviewing with Children 2024 (CFIRW-24) – Speech by Ms Sun Xueling, Minister of State, Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of Social and Family Development

Your Excellency, Jonathan Kaplan,

US Ambassador to Singapore,

Dear guests,

Ladies and gentlemen,

1. A very good morning to everyone.

2. It is my pleasure to be with you today for the opening of this training workshop on forensic interviewing of children, organised by the US Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Singapore Police Force (SPF).

3. Last year, I had the privilege of delivering the opening remarks with Ambassador Kaplan at the inaugural Regional Forum on Crimes against Children. That Forum laid the foundation for our collective action to combat child exploitation, and it is truly heartening to see that momentum continue with this Workshop.

US-Singapore Cooperation

4. Singapore-US security cooperation is longstanding and has been strengthened over the years. Our cooperation includes initiatives such as the annual US-Singapore Law Enforcement and Homeland Security and Safety Cooperation Dialogue, a platform for senior officials to exchange views and best practices on emerging security challenges since 2014. Our agencies also work closely together on emerging security challenges and many areas of mutual interest. Today, we are strengthening this partnership through this regional workshop and our shared goal of protecting children from sexual violence.

5. Last year’s forum, attended by more than 140 officials from ASEAN member states and Timor-Leste, was a resounding success. Today’s workshop, focusing on forensic interviewing techniques for children, builds on that and reaffirms our shared commitment to protecting children from sexual exploitation and abuse, wherever these crimes occur.

Singapore’s efforts to combat child sexual exploitation and trafficking

6. Preventing child sexual exploitation and trafficking is a priority for the Singapore Government. While we have been fortunate in keeping these crimes under control, this is a tireless task that requires a comprehensive and multifaceted approach. This morning I would like to emphasise three strategies Together, they have ensured that Singapore has been able to take decisive and effective measures, which has contributed to low incidences of child sexual exploitation and trafficking.⁽¹⁾

Legislative levers

7. First, Singapore has enacted strong laws that enable us to take swift and decisive action against child sexual exploitation and trafficking. Our legal framework includes the Prevention of Human Trafficking Act (PHTA), the Criminal Code, the Women’s Charter and the Online Safety (Miscellaneous Amendments) Act.

8. The Prevention of Human Trafficking ActFor example, our primary law is Anti-Trafficking in Persons (TIP). Not only does it allow us to effectively prosecute traffickers, it also acts as a powerful deterrent by imposing severe penalties on offenders. Under this law, first-time offenders can face up to 10 years in prison. For repeat offenders, the penalties are even harsher, ensuring that those who continue to commit these crimes face the full burden of justice.

9. As crime evolves, particularly with technological advances, so must our legal framework. The transnational nature of child sexual exploitation, criminal activity and the proliferation of the internet and social media pose challenges to law enforcement efforts. We need the Criminal Code in 2019 to better tackle technology-enabled crime, with a particular focus on sexual crimes.

(a) For example, we have criminalised the entire spectrum of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) activities, from production to distribution and possession of such material. These amendments also ensure that Singapore citizens or permanent residents who commit such acts abroad cannot escape criminal liability.

(b) We have also criminalised certain forms of sexual communication with minors, including online communication. Because online sexual communication can occur across borders, we have ensured that our laws apply to such communication if the victim or perpetrator is in Singapore at the time of the communication.

10. We have also strengthened our laws to protect users in Singapore from harmful online content. The Online Criminal Harms Act allows the government to instruct any online service to block access to online criminal content and activities, such as the non-consensual distribution of intimate images and the distribution of child sexual abuse material. In addition, the Online Safety (Miscellaneous Amendments) Act provisions introduced for the Broadcasting Act This allows the government to order certain social media services to block access to material about child sexual exploitation and abuse.

11. This legal framework enables us to act quickly and decisively and has a real and tangible impact on protecting our most vulnerable. Since the changes to the Criminal CodeThe Singapore Police Force (SPF) has investigated approximately 140 cases of child sexual abuse, involving possession, access and distribution. These numbers represent lives saved, futures protected and justice served.

Robust enforcement measures

12. Secondly, our law enforcement officers are at the forefront of identifying and protecting victims, particularly children. The SPF has improved its processes to better equip officers to respond to sexual crimes, particularly sexual assaults; to ensure that there is greater victim focus. To give a few examples:

(a) SPF uses forensic software to process, sort and analyse large volumes of images and videos that may contain child abuse material, improving the ability to track down and apprehend perpetrators.

(b) To provide greater support to victims, SPF has designated specially trained officers to interview and support victims of sexual offences. New officers are trained in the importance of victim support during investigations, so that this focus is embedded from the beginning of their careers.

(c) SPF also introduced the One-Stop Centre Multidisciplinary interview modelThis approach integrates separate interviews and forensic examinations by investigating officers, child protection officers and doctors into one streamlined interview led by police. This minimises the need for children and victims to repeatedly disclose their trauma to different people, and reduces the risk of further harm during the investigative process.

14. Third, we work with international partners to strengthen our capabilities, share critical information, and coordinate efforts to dismantle networks.

15. Singapore has worked closely with our overseas partners and international organisations to share best practices and develop strategies to better identify victims of child sexual exploitation and trafficking.

(a) For example, last year the SPF organised the Regional workshop Artificial Intelligence for safer children in collaboration with the United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute. Participants from the SPF, the Royal Brunei Police Force, the Central Bureau of Investigation India, the Indonesian National Police, and stakeholders from international organizations, non-profits, and the private sector discussed how AI systems can help investigators analyze large data sets to identify victims of child exploitation and locate subjects.

(b) We also make extensive use of INTERPOL’s International Child Sexual Exploitation (ICSE) database which, as of June 2024, contains 4.9 million images and videos. This database has been instrumental in identifying more than 41,800 victims worldwide. The SPF participates annually in the Victim Identification Task Force convened by INTERPOL. The Task Force is comprised of law enforcement officials from around the world who conduct in-depth analyses of materials in the ICSE database to identify victims and perpetrators and forward the materials to the relevant authorities in relevant countries for further investigation.

A transnational challenge

16. Ladies and gentlemen, all of us in this Chamber understand that the challenge we face is transnational. Child exploitation and trafficking do not respect national borders. Perpetrators often operate across jurisdictions, exploiting differences in legal systems and enforcement capabilities, and using the anonymity afforded by cyberspace to evade justice.

17. However, we have seen with our own eyes how effective cross-border cooperation is.

(a) Earlier this year, the SPF, in collaboration with the Hong Kong Police Force and the Korean National Police Agency, carried out a successful operation against child sexual exploitation, resulting in the arrest of 272 individuals in the three jurisdictions and the seizure of numerous devices containing illegal material. This operation is a testament to the power of international partnerships.

(b) Closer to home, our intensive collaboration with U.S. agencies such as the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children and Homeland Security Investigations has significantly enhanced our ability to respond to cases involving child pornography linked to Singapore.

18. It is clear that we must continue to strengthen international cooperation to combat these crimes effectively. Law enforcement agencies in our region must work closely together to tackle the criminal syndicates that exploit children. Equally crucial are our legislative frameworks against the production, distribution and possession of child sexual abuse material. We must ensure that victims are protected and that justice is done.

Improving our collective capabilities

19. This workshop is a good example of how we can strengthen international cooperation by sharing best practices to strengthen our collective capacity to combat this transnational crime. Our experience shows that adopting a victim-centred approach protects child victims, builds trust and minimises trauma during the investigation process. It leads to the collection of reliable evidence and better investigation and prosecution outcomes. In doing so, we hope to increase the capacity and capability for cross-border cooperation among law enforcement agencies.