Law Society vice-president Chia Boon Teck resigns after backlash over comments about rape victim
Mr Chia was heavily criticised over his comments which appeared to question a rape victim's actions in the case of former Wah!Banana actor Lev Panfilov, who was convicted of the crime.
Mr Chia Boon Teck was asked by the president of the Law Society of Singapore to resign as its vice-president and council member after his comments on a rape case. (File photo: Law Society of Singapore)
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SINGAPORE: Lawyer Chia Boon Teck has resigned as vice-president and council member of the Law Society of Singapore after his comments on a rape case sparked online backlash.
"Mr Chia Boon Teck has resigned from council this morning, and the president has accepted his resignation. His resignation takes effect immediately," the Law Society said in a statement on Tuesday (Mar 25).
"We thank Mr Chia for his service and contributions during his tenure on council and wish him well in his future endeavours."
His resignation came shortly after Law Society president Lisa Sam asked him to step aside, saying his comments and views on the rape victim were unacceptable.
"The victim's morality should not have been questioned in this manner. Such comments and views are also inimical for a person in a position of leadership to espouse," she said on Tuesday.
Mr Chia was heavily criticised after his LinkedIn comments over the weekend about the case of former Wah!Banana actor Lev Panfilov, who was convicted last Friday of rape, sexual assault by penetration and molest.
Mr Chia appeared to question the victim’s actions and made comments that were seen as victim-shaming.
"People who indulge in one night stands may wanna take note to protect themselves from attack, or accusations of attack," Mr Chia said in his LinkedIn post.
Citing the victim's age and her occupation as an actress and model, he said: "So not exactly a babe in the woods?"
He also noted how the victim had "hoped to get some advice on scriptwriting from (Panfilov)" and commented: "At that late hour on the bed of a Russian man she just met in Tinder?"
These comments drew sharp criticism from prominent lawyers and advocacy group AWARE.
Law and Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam also weighed in, saying that while Mr Chia had "expressed his personal views", he held an institutional position at the Law Society.
"My concern is that some people might actually think that the views he has expressed indicate the norms in Singapore. And I worry what impact his statement may have on other victims," the minister said.
He added that lawyers, particularly those in senior positions, have to be mindful when making statements that "minimise or dismiss victims’ concerns", as that can have an impact on others who may as a result not be willing to report what happened to them.
"Shaming and blaming victims steps over the line. And misogyny should have no place in our society," Mr Shanmugam said.
Following the backlash, Mr Chia took down the LinkedIn post. He told CNA that the comments were meant to draw people's attention to their situational awareness and not to cast blame on any party.
"As a criminal lawyer, my intent was not to cast blame on any party, but to highlight the importance of situational awareness – both to guard against being assaulted and to avoid actions that could later be misconstrued," he said.
"My comments were meant to encourage reflection on how individuals can better protect themselves in social situations. This is not about shifting responsibility but about understanding real-world risks."
Mr Chia is the co-managing director of law firm Chia Wong Chambers. According to his profile on his firm's website, he had been the vice-president of the Law Society since August 2023 and was its treasurer prior to that.
