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Tue, Oct 27, 2009
The Straits Times
Girl's doodling exposed her dad
A GIRL'S doodling in class came as a cry for help, leading to her father's offences coming to light.

The day after she was raped by her father for the second time on July 28 last year, she drew a picture of a crying girl and scribbled the words 'What should I do now!!' within a speech bubble on a piece of paper during a Chinese lesson.

She also wrote in English: 'I hate my father as he do something which I felt it disgusting. I don't know it is good to tell my mother and police about but I wish I can run away.

'But the main problem is I had no home if I run away and I don't know what can happen to me if I tell my mother and the police about it.'

The girl then folded the piece of paper and placed it on her table.

Her best friend, who sat behind her in class, asked to read the note. Initially reluctant, the girl eventually agreed and confided in her friend.

The friend said they should tell an adult and suggested the girl's mother. But the girl said her mother would definitely not believe her. The friend then suggested turning to their form teacher, but the two girls dropped the idea as he was a man.

They finally decided to go to either their ex-form teacher or the school counsellor.

As the girl had to leave school to pick up her younger brother, she left her doodlings with her friend who later found the counsellor.

The counsellor then phoned the girl and asked her to return to school, where she broke down.

The counsellor informed the principal and vice-principal and reported the matter to the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports.

The principal later drove the girl and the counsellor to the police station to lodge a report.

This article was first published in The Straits Times

 
 
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