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ST's Clarification Over Statutory Rape Wording Sparks Debate Over Court Reporting
- Plan B
- 4 days ago
- 1 min read
The Straits Times (ST) has issued a clarification following criticism over its wording in a court report involving a man convicted of statutory rape.
In a letter published by the newspaper's editor, ST acknowledged that some readers felt phrases such as "had sex with", "relationship" and "couple" did not accurately reflect the severity of the offence.
The publication explained that these terms were taken from the Statement of Facts (SOF) submitted by prosecutors, which did not use the word "rape"
Under the Singapore Courts' 2026 Guide on Court Reporting, journalists are expected to report court proceedings accurately and fairly.
While the guide provides guidance on reporting court cases and using court documents, it does not require journalists to reproduce the wording of a Statement of Facts verbatim, instead emphasising accuracy, fairness and a proper understanding of court processes.
The Straits Times story in reference was titled "21 years' jail, caning for man who repeatedly had sex with niece, 13; used blindfold, rope on her."
It reported that a 38-year-old man was sentenced to 21 years' imprisonment and caning for repeatedly sexually abusing his underage niece, beginning when she was 13 years old.
