A Photojournalism Project Addressing the Impact of Sexual Assault in Singapore
Voices of Resilience is a thesis project by Joy Ou and Amanda Koh from the Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information. This photojournalism initiative addresses the critical issue of sexual assault in Singapore, featuring heartfelt letters from five survivors directed at their perpetrators. The project culminates in a photo book designed to raise awareness about the prevalence of sexual assault and the challenges survivors face, fostering understanding and support among those who may find themselves in similar situations.
According to AWARE’s Sexual Assault Care Centre (SACC), approximately 70% of sexual assault cases go unreported. In 2018 and 2019, SACC documented 1,585 incidents of sexual violence—nearly double the figures from 2016 and 2017. This included 482 reports of physical assault, such as rape, in 2019, up from 233 in 2016.
An analysis of 775 cases handled by SACC from 2015 to 2020 revealed two predominant reasons why victims hesitate to report: the fear of not being believed (45.5%) and concern about the reactions of family and friends (40.2%). Rape myths—defined as prejudicial or false beliefs surrounding rape, victims, and perpetrators—significantly influence how society responds to victims’ disclosures.
Now, we hear directly from the survivors. Their raw and unfiltered words, combined with powerful imagery, create a compelling tapestry of courage and resilience. While each story is heart-wrenching, the strength exhibited by these survivors fills us with hope. May you draw inspiration and strength from their experiences.
Gretchen
Seeing Red
She was in a vulnerable state when he took advantage of her emotions. Ms. Gretchen Tham, 19, believed she could trust him and visited his home during a difficult time. Tragically, he sexually assaulted her.
Returning home injured, her mother encouraged her to report the incident to the police. The perpetrator has since been charged with multiple sexual offenses against other victims, including possession of child abuse material.
Gretchen’s journey to recovery has been challenging. Initially, she resorted to self-harm as she struggled to cope with her emotions. However, with the support of friends and a therapist who listened without judgment, she has gained greater control over her feelings.
Two years later, Gretchen no longer fears glancing at his apartment across the street.
Dear A,
I hope you burn in hell for everything you’ve done to me. After the pain you inflicted, you don’t deserve a happy life. I can’t stand the thought of you living carefree while I continue to suffer from the scars of that night.
For the past two years, I’ve endured an unbearable amount of pain. Therapy has helped with my PTSD, but it only offers temporary relief. No matter what I try, I can’t fully move on. Although I’m in a better place now, that evening will haunt me forever. It’s infuriating to know that while you’re being charged for child exploitation and other crimes, sexual assault isn’t among them.
You’ve faced one court hearing, but there are more to come. I hope you feel the weight of fear during each session and for the rest of your life.
I wish nothing but the worst for you. I pray you lose everything. I cannot and will not forgive you.
Gretchen
Felicia
Leap (Out) of Faith
Ms. Felicia Lee, 22, did not realize she was being manipulated. While working as a waitress at a pub, she formed a connection with a customer, and they began a romantic relationship. Despite expressing her discomfort with certain physical boundaries, he disregarded her feelings.
Felicia was sexually assaulted by the man she thought she could trust. In retrospect, she recognizes the manipulation she endured. “He apologized midway but continued anyway,” she recalls.
Raised in a Christian household, Felicia found herself questioning her faith after the incident. This internal conflict led to a transformation in her beliefs as she sought to redefine her identity outside the influence of religion.
Hi, you pathetic excuse of a human,
You deserve the worst life has to offer. I hope you never find someone unfortunate enough to end up with your sorry self. If hell exists, I hope you suffer there for eternity. You are the biggest fool I’ve ever encountered, and I hope your little manhood rots from the inside out. May karma bite you hard.
Hope to never see you again,
Felicia
Ray
Grey Areas
During a visit to a public toilet, Mr. Rahmad Suistio Bin Ismail, 25, was approached by an older man who lured him to a secluded staircase. As a teenager, Ray felt compelled to follow the man, who then proceeded to sexually assault him.
Following the incident, Ray developed health anxiety, constantly fearing he had contracted STDs. When he finally reported the assault to the police, he was further traumatized by invasive questions about his personal life and criticized for not escaping during the attack.
“In the year after the incident, I couldn’t enter a public toilet, and I avoided urinals for years,” he shared. The revelations surrounding social media influencer Dee Kosh, who was reported for grooming young males, triggered Ray’s PTSD, forcing him to stay away from social media during the ordeal.
To manage his anxiety, Ray practices meditation, reminding himself that he “is in a safe place,” while playing music that evokes happy memories.
To the man who caused all of this,
You completely ruined my life. I can’t go a day without worrying about my health. I felt disgusted with myself, and now I’m unreasonably obsessed with it, all because of you. I hope you’re aware that I spent countless days worrying about my well-being.
Maybe if you had been responsible with your actions, I wouldn’t be in this state. If only you had asked, “Are you comfortable doing this?” or “Do you want this?” perhaps I wouldn’t be this broken person today. But here I am, forever changed.
Wherever you are now, know that you destroyed my life. Everything I could have been is lost because you didn’t care to ensure my consent. You exploited me, and I hope someone takes advantage of you in return. Here’s a big “screw you” for everything you’ve done to me.
Sincerely,
Ray
Elizabeth
White Noise
For Ms. Elizabeth Teo, 37, her university years were among the darkest times of her life. At just 19, she was repeatedly sexually assaulted by a community leader at her church over three and a half years. He finally stopped when “his conscience got the better of him.”
Even after escaping his grasp, the emotional pain intensified. Elizabeth felt guilt for not resisting hard enough and was too ashamed to confide in anyone. To numb her emotional suffering, she resorted to self-harm and attempted suicide multiple times, stating, “I became addicted to the feeling of physical pain.”
After many unsuccessful therapy sessions, a breakthrough occurred during an Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) session, where she relived her trauma but emerged understanding that she was not to blame. Determined to help others, Elizabeth trained to become a Clinical Hypnotherapist and now provides consultations from her home.
It took her nearly 15 years to come to terms with her experiences. “I’ve survived the abuse,” she declared, “I will survive the recovery.”
To the one who harmed me,
You damaged me—body, mind, and spirit. You stole the best years of my life and can never return them. The impact of your actions lingers to this day. I have over 200 cuts and more than 100 stitches to show for my pain. I jumped from bridges in attempts to end my life. I stopped eating, trying to wither away like the dead I felt inside, and at my lowest, I weighed only 29.6 kg.
But I am a survivor. I have triumphed. I am healing. Your actions no longer control my life. I hope to find a way to forgive you one day, but I am stepping out of the shadows of what you did to me. My story will help others who have faced sexual violence. The greatest gift I can give myself is the pursuit of happiness.
With God’s grace, I know I can.
Elizabeth
Tania
Outside In
The first time Ms. T. Tania, 19, sensed her granduncle making advances, she dismissed it as an “accident.” However, throughout the family trip, his behavior escalated, leading to her sexual assault.
“My mum taught me how to handle these situations from a young age, and I always rehearsed my responses in my mind in case something like this ever happened,” she recalled. “But in that moment, I was completely frozen.”
In the months following the incident, Tania felt detached from her own life, as if she were observing herself from a distance. She struggled to remember the relatives she had met during the trip and experienced a profound sense of numbness. To cope, she began taking excessive baths in an attempt to cleanse herself of the emotional pain.
It took nearly two years for Tania to open up about her experience, but she recognized that confiding in her family marked a significant turning point in her healing process. To manage her emotions, she metaphorically stores her feelings in a rock she keeps close to her.
To the Monster That Hurt Me,
I hope you find happiness amidst the turmoil of your own karma. I hope you can navigate the darkness you’ve created for yourself. I hope each time you see or hear about me, you wince with guilt, and that it eats away at you from within. May the pleasure you once felt be drowned by the silent screams of your own pain. I hope you remain shackled by the consequences of your actions.
Understand that your children, nephews, nieces, grandchildren, and loved ones are not your possessions. We are not your fantasies or belongings. I may never know how many others you’ve harmed, but I know I can never forgive or forget you. I could choose to be “more mature” and move on, but that would betray the innocence of the young Tania. Be grateful that I’m not holding you accountable for your transgressions, despite your flagrant disregard for the law.
Above all, know that your actions have fueled my fight for others. You and your entitled companions will be consumed by the flames of our rage and the desire for justice that we survivors carry. Just as you deserve.
~ Tania (your “girlfriend”)
