PUBLISHED ONApril 09, 2024 7:46 AMByClaudia TanLast week, in a five-week cross-border crackdown on child sexual exploitation activities, 272 suspects — including 28 in Singapore — were nabbed.
Such enforcement operations are part and parcel of Assistant Superintendent Jane Chen's job.
The senior investigation officer in the Criminal Investigation Department (CID)'s Specialised Crime Branch probes offences related to child sexual abuse materials (CSAM) and vice involving children.
In a video posted by the Ministry of Home Affairs on its YouTube and TikTok channels last Sunday (April 7), Chen spoke about some of the challenges she faces and the emotional toll it has taken on her.
Like having to go through "very explicit" materials during her investigations.
"Sometimes when I process a photo or video, [when I see] the child being violently violated, the cries and sounds really affect you viscerally," she said. "It's hard to get it out of my mind."
[embed]https://www.tiktok.com/@mhasingapore/video/7355110009350507777?lang=en[/embed]
She can also be overcome by a sense of helplessness when there's not enough information to locate a child who is being abused.
"You take this bag of emotions and you multiply it each time you process a CSAM, it gets mentally overwhelming."
What keeps Chen going is the thought that the offender "is not just harming one child".
"He is harming many other children to produce his materials. That spurs me on," she added. "To us, every child matters."
The video also follows Chen and her team on an enforcement operation where they visited a suspect's home and seized his computer and phone.
Chen also demonstrates how investigation officers extract data from seized devices at the CID's Cyber Guardian Lab, which was launched in June 2023.
The data is uploaded to a processing software, which sieves out material that have previously been indexed as CSAM.
Officers then go through the new materials to determine if they are CSAM, and upload them to Interpol's International Child Sexual Exploitation database to identify and rescue victims.
Last week's crackdown online child sexual abuse crimes was conducted in Singapore, Hong Kong and South Korea.
Those arrested in Singapore are aged between 18 and 59, with offences ranging from possessing, accessing and distributing child abuse materials to engaging in sexual communication with minors.
Nine have been referred to the Home Team Community Assistance and Referral Scheme for further assessment and intervention.
Those convicted of possessing or gaining access to child abuse material in Singapore can be jailed for up to five years, and fined or caned.
Those found guilty of distributing, selling or offering child abuse material for sale, or have in their possession child abuse material for the purpose of such distribution, may be jailed for up to seven years, and also fined or caned.
READ ALSO: Crackdown on online child sexual abuse crimes: 272 arrested in Singapore, Hong Kong, South Korea
claudiatan@asiaone.com