新加坡内政部：政府非常看重青少年心理健康问题

黄国光（义顺集选区）问内政部长

（a）在决定是否根据1993年《儿童与青少年法》第6(3)(b)(ii)和第6(3)(c)(ii)条对虐待儿童或青少年造成心理伤害的行为提起诉讼时会考虑哪些因素？

（b）内政部能否分享任何与此有关的过往案例？

尚穆根：在决定是否起诉、适用什么样的法律条款时，该责任和裁量权属于公共检察官。公共检察官在做此类决定时会考虑几方面因素，特别是是否有1993年《儿童与青少年法》规定的心理伤害的证据。同时，证据是否充分则取决于多种其他因素，包括儿童和青少年接受询问的能力和愿望，医疗和心理证据，以及其他证据，如来自孩子所在学校和旁观者的佐证。

内政部没有任何过去的案例可以分享。

Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang asked the Minister for Home Affairs (a) what are the factors taken into consideration when deciding on whether or not to press charges for ill-treatment of a child or young person by causing emotional harm as defined under sections 6(3)(b)(ii) and 6(3)(c)(ii) of the Children and Young Persons Act 1993; and (b) whether the Ministry is able to share any past case studies to illustrate the above.

Mr K Shanmugam: The responsibility and discretion for deciding whether to charge a person and, if so, which offence provision to use, lies with the Public Prosecutor. In making such decisions, the Public Prosecutor may consider several factors, in particular whether there is evidence of emotional harm as defined by the Children and Young Persons Act 1993. Whether the evidence is sufficient depends in turn on a variety of other factors, including the child or young person's ability and willingness to be interviewed, the availability of medical and psychological evidence and the availability of corroborative evidence, for example, from the school at which the child was studying or other observers.

The Ministry does not have any past case to share.