SINGAPORE — A 29-year-old domestic worker from Indonesia was sentenced to eight years and 10 months in prison after being convicted of sexually assaulting a 55-year-old intellectually disabled man under her care. The assaults took place while the worker was on video call with her boyfriend in Indonesia, who later blackmailed the victim’s family with footage of the incidents.

The domestic worker had been hired to care for the man and his wheelchair-bound sister. Despite knowing the man’s intellectual disabilities, which left him unable to defend himself, she exploited the situation and coerced him into sexual acts.

What Happened

Employed in March 2021, the domestic worker was responsible for assisting both the victim and his sister. Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Colin Ng revealed that the victim had a moderate intellectual disability and required help with basic tasks. The worker described him as behaving like a child, being unable to speak clearly, and forgetful.

Between January and February 2022, while on a video call with her boyfriend, the domestic worker forced the victim into sexual acts, claiming that she did so to avoid upsetting her boyfriend. During another instance between July and August 2022, she again sexually assaulted the man, this time bringing him into a bathroom and continuing the abuse as her boyfriend watched the video call.

Despite the victim’s attempts to resist, using hand gestures to signal that he did not want to engage in the acts, the worker persisted. She warned the man not to speak about the incidents, threatening to stop caring for him if he did.

In January of last year, the victim’s family received video footage from the worker’s boyfriend via WhatsApp. Two of the videos, one lasting 13 minutes and another around nine minutes, showed the assaults. The boyfriend demanded that the domestic worker be sent back to Indonesia before her contract ended in June 2023, threatening to distribute the footage if his demands were not met. The family reported the incidents to the police.

Sentencing and Judge’s Remarks

During the court proceedings, the domestic worker claimed she acted on her boyfriend’s orders and that he had threatened to release the first video if she did not comply with his demands the second time.

The prosecution sought a prison sentence of between eight years and six months to nine years and six months. DPP Ng emphasized the need for strong legal protection for individuals with intellectual disabilities, especially in cases where a caregiver, who should provide safety, exploits their vulnerability.

The worker, who tearfully expressed remorse, asked for leniency, citing that she was the sole provider for her child and younger siblings. However, District Judge Sharmila Sripathy-Shanaz highlighted the severity of the crimes, stating that the “heinous act” required a strong legal response to safeguard vulnerable persons from exploitation. She also noted that while the domestic worker’s guilty plea spared the victim from reliving the trauma in court, the sentence needed to reflect the gravity of the crime.

Judge Sharmila concluded that the sentence was necessary both as punishment for the serious offense and as a deterrent to others, emphasizing that the repeated and prolonged nature of the abuse demonstrated its egregiousness.

For sexually assaulting a person with penetration, the maximum penalty can include up to 20 years in prison, a fine, or caning.