69-year-old man gets 15 years in prison for raping his housekeeper after she experienced "depersonalization syndrome" when instructed to go to sleep

In Singapore, The word "sleep" was mumbled by the domestic helper, who was caring for her dementia-stricken, 69-year-old employer.She was conscious but unable to open her eyes or protest as the Singaporean man, Tan Jeck Tuang, proceeded to insult her modesty.A few months later, he would do it once more, ordering her to sleep and then sexually assaulting her afterward, leaving her in a condition of helplessness the prosecution referred to as "a depersonalisation syndrome" (a chronic sense of being cut off from one's body or mental processes).Tan was in court on Tuesday, September 5 at the High Court.During sentencing, six more offenses, including sexual assault, were taken into account.Due to a gag order put in place by the court to protect the victim's identity, her name cannot be disclosed.Tan used his "power and dominion" over the woman, who resided in his home, to repeatedly abuse her, according to Justice Aedit Abdullah, who slammed what Tan did as a misuse of his position.

WHAT TOOK PLACE
The woman, who was 45 years old and of Indonesian nationality, had been Tan's maid since August 2020.She told the court that her major duty was to take care of him after his vascular dementia diagnosis in June 2020.On November 7 of same year, Tan requested that the victim make him some lunch while he was alone in his room.The victim returned to his room after finishing his lunch to give him the plate. He then yanked her hand and commanded her to sleep. the victim "immediately felt weak, helpless, and as if she was about to faint" after hearing this, according to deputy public prosecutor Theong Li Han.

Tan brought the victim to a bed after she passed out, where he kissed her, lifted her shirt, and sexually assaulted her.

The victim "was conscious and aware of what the accused was doing, but was unable to open her eyes or express resistance" throughout this time, lamented DPP Theong.Later, when she opened her eyes, she saw a wet spot on her shirt.Tan answered that it was "just water" when she enquired as to what it was. After that, he apologized and said, "I enjoy your body." The victim sobbed as she left the room.

DPP DEPERSONALIZATION SYSTEM 

The victim had sustained serious injuries, according to Theong, who demanded that the man receive a term of at least 15 years in prison.She experienced serious depression following the sexual assaults, "to the point where she even contemplated death to alleviate her suffering," according to a report from the Institute of Mental Health, according to DPP Theong.Depersonalization, according to the study, may have contributed to the victim's feeling weak and "appearing unconscious" to Tan at the time of the assaults.According to the report, the victim was "in a vulnerable state due to the power gradient between her and the accused" at the time of the offense.She couldn't open her eyes or protest, therefore she was in the same situation as a victim who was genuinely unconscious, according to DPP Theong.She continued by saying that Tan had exploited her at that time.A 15-year sentence, according to Tan's attorney Mr. Teo Choo Kee of the company CK Teo and Co, would be "crushing" for the man because he will reach 70 in two months.

Although what he did was abhorrent, it was not the worst of its kind. Up until this point, he had always followed the law, according to Mr. Teo.  Then, the defense attorney requested a sentence that was no longer than 10 years. Tan had engaged in a "flagrant abuse" of power over the victim, according to Justice Abdullah, who also highlighted that Tan had taken advantage of the victim's vulnerability as a domestic servant.Rape convictions carry sentences ranging from eight to twenty years in prison and/or a caning. Singaporean law prohibits caning those who are 50 years of age or older. 

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