Singapore reports rise in child abuse cases as public vigilance increases
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The Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) reported an increase in child abuse cases in Singapore during 2025. This rise occurred alongside a 49 per cent jump in reports made to the National Anti-Violence & Sexual Harassment Helpline (NAVH), which received 16,525 reports in 2025 compared to 11,068 in 2024.
The ministry attributed the higher numbers to greater vigilance among the public and frontline professionals.
This heightened awareness followed the 2020 Megan Khung abuse case, which led to changes in the child protection system. The agency also noted that law enforcement, social service agencies, and the education sector drove much of the increase in helpline reports. Police officers now must notify the helpline when responding to family violence involving children or vulnerable adults. The report identified 2,476 new Tier 1 cases involving low or moderate safety concerns, such as excessive discipline.
It also recorded 1,917 new Tier 2 cases involving high safety risks, including sexual abuse or serious injuries like burns and fractures. Children aged seven to 12 formed the largest group of abused children across both categories. The ministry noted that most abusers in Tier 2 cases were parents or step-parents. The agency also expanded the Domestic Violence Emergency Response Team (DVERT), which saw its handled incidents more than double to 1,439 in 2025.
This team works with police to issue Emergency Orders, such as Domestic Exclusion Orders to bar abusers from a home. While the ministry reported these trends, it noted that Tier 2 figures are not directly comparable to previous years due to revised counting methods that only include children who were personally abused or witnessed the violence.
