Domestic violence cases in Singapore — including cases of child abuse and spousal abuse — remained at an elevated level in 2025, said the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF).

All four categories of domestic violence also saw slight increases in the number of cases.

The statistics were revealed in MSF's latest Domestic Violence Trends Report (DVTR), published on Oct. 29.

The data reflects stronger reporting and detection of abuse, MSF said.

Child abuse

In 2025, there were 4,686 new cases of Tier 1 child abuse and 2,021 new cases of Tier 2 child abuse.

This translates to 6,707 new child abuse cases in total, with children aged seven to 12 years old making up the largest group of victims.

Tier 1 cases are those with low to moderate safety and risk concerns, overseen by community-based agencies.

Tier 2 cases, meanwhile, involve high safety and risk concerns and may warrant intrusive statutory intervention to keep the vulnerable person safe.

These cases are overseen by MSF's Protective Service (PSV).

Physical abuse most common

Among child abuse cases, physical abuse was the most common type of abuse inflicted, said MSF.

Among Tier 2 cases, this was significantly related to the excessive use of physical force in disciplining children.

Other forms of child abuse recorded include emotional and psychological abuse, neglect, and sexual abuse.

The ministry said it encourages parents to employ non-physical means of discipline instead to build positive parent-child relationships.

Spousal abuse

There were 1,920 new cases of Tier 1 spousal abuse in 2025, seeing a slight increase from 1,871 in 2024.

Numbers remained elevated compared to the 2023 baseline of 1,560.

MSF said this suggests that more victim-survivors sought support through Family Service Centres (FSCs) before having their safety concerns escalated.

Victim-survivors of spousal abuse were overwhelmingly female, with those aged 30 to 49 years making up the largest group.

Physical abuse was the most common type of abuse, followed by emotional and psychological abuse and sexual abuse.

Elder abuse, vulnerable adult abuse

Cases of elder abuse, vulnerable adult abuse, and self-neglect all saw increases.

An elderly person in the report refers to a person aged 65 years and above, while vulnerable adults are defined as those who, by reason of mental or physical disability or incapacity, are incapable of protecting themselves from abuse, neglect, or self-neglect.

With elder abuse, women made up the larger group of victims among Tier 1 abuse cases in 2025, with physical abuse forming the most common type of elder abuse.

Often, the elderly victim is abused by a family member or caregiver that the victim-survivor trusts, the report said.

Meanwhile, with cases of self-neglect and vulnerable adult abuse, the increases were sharper although overall numbers remained low.

The increase may partly reflect improved detection by healthcare and community partners, according to MSF.

The agency also noted that most new cases of self-neglect involved the elderly.

More reports made

In 2025, the number of reports made to the National Anti-Violence and Sexual Harassment Helpline (NAVH) increased sharply, MSF said.

NAVH reports rose by nearly 50 per cent, with members of the public making up the largest source of reports.

But the increase was mostly driven by reports from law enforcement agencies, social service agencies and the education sector.

Since September 2024, police officers have been required to notify NAVH when they respond to domestic violence cases involving children or vulnerable adults.

Meanwhile, the Domestic Violence Emergency Response Team (DVERT) — which responds to high-risk domestic violence cases — responded to 1,439 cases in 2025.

This was more than double the 675 cases in 2024.

This increase occurred after the response team was expanded to all seven police divisions islandwide in September 2024, allowing more high-risk domestic incidents to receive immediate action, MSF noted.

A woman went to a bar at Marina Bay Sands after drinking alcohol at home and molested a waitress who had just ended her shift.

Sonik Archana Susheel, 32, not only groped the 20-year-old victim's buttocks and shoved her, but also showed her the middle finger.

The Indian national was fined S$2,500 on Oct. 29 after pleading guilty to one charge of outrage of modesty, Shin Min Daily News reported.

Groped victim's butt

The court heard that the victim was working as a bottle-service waitress at CÉ LA VI, a rooftop restaurant and bar on the 57th floor of Marina Bay Sands.

On Mar. 13, 2026, at around 11pm, Sonik arrived at the bar after a few drinks at home to continue drinking and partying with several friends.

At 12:33am, Sonik was reportedly drunk and dancing alone when the victim walked past, preparing to end her shift.

Without warning, Sonik reached out to touch the victim's buttocks and shoved her stomach area.

She also flashed the victim a middle finger in her face.

The court heard that the interaction lasted about five seconds, Shin Min reported.

The victim immediately sought help from floor security, and the police were called.

Sonik was arrested at the scene, and she was released on bail that same day.

Did not commit offence for sexual gratification

The prosecution sought a fine of S$2,500 for Sonik, noting that she had no prior criminal record and was intoxicated at the time of the offence.

She had also voluntarily offered S$1,500 in compensation to the victim, reported Shin Min.

Sonik's lawyer, Ariffin Sha, reportedly submitted that she did not commit the act for sexual gratification.

He stated that she was "deeply remorseful" and had voluntarily paid the S$1,500 as compensation for emotional distress.

She is also willing to cover the victim's therapy expenses, he said, urging the court to exercise leniency.

Victim applied for additional compensation

The victim also appeared in court to seek additional compensation, Shin Min reported.

She stated that she was fired following the incident and had lost approximately six months' worth of wages.

She noted that these earnings were meant to fund her school tuition and daily living expenses.

However, the judge dismissed her application after noting that she did not provide sufficient documentation to establish her exact financial losses.

A 30-year-old Singaporean man exited a taxi in Bangkok and ran wildly on the road before falling off the side of the expressway.

According to Siam News, the incident occurred around 12:43pm local time on Oct. 26.

The taxi driver reportedly picked the man up from Suvarnabhumi Airport, the main international airport of Bangkok.

The man did not specify a destination, but only instructed the driver to keep going in the direction he wanted.

When the taxi drove through the Si Rat Expressway, the passenger suddenly became agitated, demanding that the car be stopped.

After the car came to a halt, he reportedly opened the door and ran out onto the road.

The driver attempted to follow him and shouted at him to come back for his safety, but the man did not stop. Subsequently, the driver contacted a radio station to share what happened and seek assistance.

The passenger was later found to have fallen off the side of the expressway, landing in a public park below and sustaining serious injuries.

Emergency responders provided first aid and rushed him to the hospital for further treatment.

He was identified as a Singapore citizen through the passport he was carrying.

Thai police are investigating the incident, and will work with the Singaporean Embassy in Thailand to proceed with further steps.

A man allegedly killed his landlord in 2024 by stabbing and cutting his chest and head with three knives and a chopper, resulting in more than 90 injuries.

Affendi Bin Yusoff, 52, is facing a charge of culpable homicide of the victim, who was 35 at the time, at Block 803 Yishun Ring Road.

The incident took place at about 8:37am on Jul. 27, 2024, at the 10th-floor lift lobby.

When the police arrived, they found Fiqri Choo Iskandar lying motionless. He was pronounced dead by paramedics at the scene.

Blood was reportedly seen on the floor, parapet, and the walls of a unit.

Affendi was in court on Oct. 29 and had a Malay interpreter.

The court heard that he previously wanted to plead guilty, but both the prosecution and defence agreed with an initial psychiatric assessment that he was of unsound mind at the time of the offence.

Landlord and tenant

Reading from the statement of agreed facts, the prosecution said Affendi was renting a room from Fiqri at the time of the offence.

Fiqri owned a unit at the 10th floor of Block 803 Yishun Ring Road, and they resided there together.

Affendi, an odd-job labourer, was released from prison in June 2024 after serving a five-year corrective training sentence for housebreaking.

As he had nowhere to stay, his sister rented a room for him in Fiqri's unit.

She had known Fiqri because she was his caregiver at the time. She was not in Singapore at the time of the offence.

Took pills before incident

Investigations later revealed that Affendi had consumed 90 pills containing dextromethorphan and three gabapentin capsules the night before the incident.

He had bought them from a seller believing that they would make him energetic.

An analysis of Affendi's blood by the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) after the incident showed that there was an abuse of dextromethorphan, a cough suppressant that could cause dissociative effects if taken at high dosage.

Just before 7:30am on Jul. 27, 2024, Affendi used his phone to take a wefie with Fiqri, and continued using his phone afterwards.

Shortly after that, however, he assaulted Fiqri in his chest and head with knives and a chopper, between the unit and the common corridor.

According to the autopsy, Fiqri sustained 97 external injuries, many of them to the head.

Only Affendi's DNA was found on the weapons, and the shorts he was wearing at the time had Fiqri's blood on them.

It was also believed that Affendi allegedly cleaned up in the unit's kitchen toilet.

Was he of unsound mind?

The prosecution shared with the court three reports assessing Affendi's state of mind from a psychiatrist at the Institute of Mental Health (IMH).

In the first, the psychiatrist said that Affendi was of unsound mind during the offence as he was heavily intoxicated with dextromethorphan then, causing him to be likely unaware of his actions.

He was assessed to be of sound mind at the end of his remand period, and was now fit to plead in court.

However, the psychiatrist later appeared to go against the first report, issuing a second one saying that Affendi was not of unsound mind at the time of the offence as the dosage of dextromethorphan he had taken was still within a limit.

It meant that he was not incapable of knowing the impact of his actions and that they were wrong, the psychiatrist added.

After investigators sought clarification from the psychiatrist, he provided a third report in March 2026 that gave yet another opinion.

It was highly possible that Affendi was of unsound mind during the assault, but he likely regained his mental faculties and knowledge of his actions afterwards, the psychiatrist said.

This was evidenced in the post-accident clean-up, which suggested his problem-solving abilities at that time.

The psychiatrist added that Affendi might be motivated to make it appear that he had selective memory and not disclose his awareness at the time of the offence.

More clarification needed

The judge, however, found the three psychiatric reports "very difficult to reconcile".

He was unable to accept whether Affendi was of unsound mind during the offence.

He asked for the hearing to be adjourned to a later date, and requested that the psychiatrist join the next hearing to be questioned for further clarification.

The now-infamous food court that was a  “haven of female companionship” has now emptied out. 

It was previously reported that a woman had visited the establishment at People's Park Complex for a meal, only to see several older men getting intimate with women.

She was approached and harassed afterwards.

Reporters from Shin Min Daily News (Shin Min) also later found older men drinking and accompanied by younger women on the site.

After the food court gained media attention, however, the men and their companions have since left the establishment.

This came after a police inspection of the premises, according to Shin Min.

Clamped down

A source told Shin Min that on Oct. 20, around 7pm, several plainclothes police officers showed up at the food court to conduct a surprise inspection.

"I saw a commotion and thought something had happened. Later, I saw a group of seven or eight plainclothes officers questioning everyone in the premises," they said.

In response to Mothership's queries, the police confirmed that an enforcement operation was conducted at a food court along 1 Park Road.

They stated that four women, aged between 33 and 48, were arrested for working without a valid work pass under the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act.

When Shin Min reporters returned to the site on Oct. 27, they found that the food court was quite a bit emptier.

The women who were alleged to be pouring drinks for customers were also nowhere to be seen.

A shopkeeper near the area claimed that they saw an older man inviting a younger woman to the food court, but she purportedly refused out of fear of law enforcement.

One shopkeeper said the women now turn down invitations from older men to dine at the food court, out of worry that they would be targeted by law enforcement.

Two Singaporean men are facing charges in Thailand for allegedly recruiting Thai women for prostitution in Singapore.

The Nation reported that the two men are part of a group of five individuals who are suspected of being involved in an online prostitution network.

The five are facing criminal proceedings in Thailand.

Online network, arrest operation

The suspects consist of two Singaporean men aged 42 and 46, two Thai women aged 33 and 37, and a 35-year-old Thai man.

Operations were conducted in Thailand's Rayong and Phitsanulok.

Their activities were supposedly linked to a network called the "Lover's Fortress", the police said.

The Nation reported that officers traced the subjects and obtained arrest warrants after examining bank transactions which were allegedly connected to prostitution earnings.

Items seized by the police were worth over 350,000 baht (S$13,277) in total, consisting of 15 mobile phones, three computers and laptops, 16 bank passbooks, 10 ATM cards, 100,000 baht (S$3,793) in cash, and jewellery.

Offences

According to The Nation, the Thai police is charging the group with several prostitution offences, from recruiting women to promoting prostitution services.

Additionally, they also face charges of money laundering and participating in a transnational criminal organisation.

Questioning

The Nation reported that during initial questioning, the 46-year-old Singaporean man admitted that he had been recruiting Thai women for prostitution in Singapore since 2019.

He identified the 42-year-old Singaporean man as his business partner, noting that they communicated with customers via Telegram, LINE and WhatsApp.

Based on the police account, the 37-year-old Thai woman was allegedly responsible for seeking out customers and creating online storefronts. She also liaised with accommodation providers.

Though the 33-year-old Thai woman acknowledged lending her bank account, she argued that she was unaware of what it would be used for.

The police added that the 35-year-old Thai man admitted to working as an administrator, where he answered customer enquiries and edited pictures of the network's women.

He was reportedly taking instructions from the 37-year-old woman.

The suspects have been referred by police to investigators for further legal proceedings, The Nation reported.

The American man appearing on 90 Day Fiancé: The Other Way with his Singaporean fiancée has taken to social media after criticism from viewers about his "red flag" behaviour.

Jonathan Pearce, 49, along with Singaporean Noor Alimna, 28, previously raised eyebrows when their love story was first unveiled.

A large age gap, a secret pregnancy and Pearce's unemployment in Singapore made good fodder for viewers.

On Oct. 28, Pearce posted a video on TikTok in response to criticism about his temper and behaviour.

In the video, he described himself as being perceived as "toxic, masculine, narcissistic, gaslighting, love-bombing, emotionally unavailable, red-flag-waving natural disaster" in the four episodes aired so far.

It was now time for viewers to get to know him better, he said.

Ask him anything

Pearce invited viewers to ask him anything, be it funny or serious.

He even welcomed insults.

Through the questions, Pearce hopes the viewers will be able to get to know him better.

Criticism

The 49-year-old also clarified that he doesn't cry "all the time" — only when he is exhausted from international travel and having "serious nicotine withdrawals".

Pearce drew criticism after he got upset that Alimna, known on the show as Ally, questioned him about getting a job in Singapore.

Ally was worried about their finances and their baby, as Pearce had apparently not saved enough money.

Pearce was seen storming off and crying at one point.

In one episode, tension flared again when Ally’s friend Megan also pressed him about his finances.

Pearce later confronted Ally for "betraying" him by telling her friends about his personal life.

His reaction drew backlash as viewers questioned whether he was ready to support their family.

Ally also faces criticism

However, Ally has also drawn her share of criticism.

Despite the mixed reactions so far, Ally told Mothership in an Oct. 19 interview that she "[doesn't] let it get to [her]".

"I feel like I get sooo much hate from Singaporeans because obviously I'm doing something that's taboo," she acknowledged.

She shared that she first met Pearce at a Malaysian bar in December 2023, while he was in the country on a business trip.

The couple subsequently got together and maintained a long-distance relationship, travelling between Singapore and the U.S. to see each other.

Despite the backlash, Ally hopes viewers will continue following their journey with an open mind.

While some issues — like her pregnancy — may seem taboo to Singaporeans, she maintains that they "made a baby out of love" and that he's already an "amazing father" with his existing kids.

"I hope people can actually see our situation as something that is more on love, instead of letting external factors determine whether we are a great couple together."

Tampines is Singapore's most populated planning area in 2026 with 296,060 residents.

This is followed by Bedok (272,120), Sengkang (265,930), Woodlands (255,280), and Jurong West (250,890), as reported in the second issue of the Statistics Singapore Newsletter by the Department of Statistics Singapore (SingStat) on Oct. 28.

Tampines overtook Bedok and Jurong West in the population rankings over the past decade.

Meanwhile, Punggol and Sengkang in the northeast recorded average annual population growth rates of 4.6 per cent and 1.9 per cent, respectively, between 2016 and 2026.

Singapore's resident population increased by 298,000 over the past decade, from 3.9 million in 2016 to 4.2 million in 2026, SingStat noted.

The report examined changes in population size, age composition, education qualifications and household income across Singapore's planning areas.

Tampines overtakes Bedok as most populous planning area

Tampines climbed from third place in 2016 to become Singapore's most populous planning area in 2026, with its resident population increasing from 259,110 to 296,060.

Bedok, which previously held the top spot, fell to second place with 272,120 residents, down from 287,170 in 2016.

Sengkang moved up from sixth to third place, with its population rising from 219,380 to 265,830 over the same period.

Woodlands ranked fourth with 255,280 residents, followed by Jurong West with 250,890.

Together, Singapore's 10 most populated planning areas were home to more than 2.3 million residents, accounting for 55.6 per cent of the country's resident population.

Punggol among fastest-growing residential areas

Punggol climbed into the top 10 most populous planning areas, ranking eighth in 2026 with 204,490 residents.

It recorded an average annual population growth rate of 4.6 per cent between 2016 and 2026.

According to SingStat, Downtown Core recorded the highest annual population growth rate of 5.3 per cent between 2016 and 2026, followed by Punggol at 4.6 per cent and Sembawang at 4.1 per cent.

However, the department noted that Downtown Core's growth was partly attributable to changes in its planning area boundaries.

Sengkang also ranked among the 10 fastest-growing planning areas, recording an average annual growth of 1.9 per cent.

Tengah, a relatively new housing estate, was excluded from the rankings as its small resident population of just 10 in 2016 resulted in an exceptionally high growth rate over the decade.

Tengah and Punggol have highest proportion of children

The report also examined the age profiles of residents across Singapore.

In 2026, Tengah had the highest proportion of children aged below 15, at 20.3 per cent, followed by Punggol at 19.6 per cent.

This is followed by Tanglin at 17.3 per cent, Newton at 17.2 per cent and Bukit Timah at 17.1 per cent.

Sengkang, Sembawang and Tampines were also among the 10 planning areas with the highest proportions of children.

However, the overall proportion of children aged below 15 among Singapore residents declined from 15.2 per cent in 2016 to 13.3 per cent in 2026.

Meanwhile, the proportion of residents aged 65 and above rose from 12.4 per cent to 19.5 per cent.

Outram, Ang Mo Kio, Jurong East, Bukit Merah and Rochor recorded the highest proportions of elderly residents.

Outram had the highest elderly population at 28.9 per cent, followed by Ang Mo Kio at 26.9 per cent, Jurong East at 26.2 per cent, Bukit Merah at 25.8 per cent, and Rochor at 25.2 per cent.

In terms of median age, Outram is the oldest area with a resident population median age of 50, followed by Ang Mo Kio and Jurong East at 49.

Residents in Rochor and Bukit Merah each had a median age of 48 years.

The other planning areas had a median age of 47 years or below.

Central areas record higher education levels and household incomes

SingStat also found that planning areas in Singapore's central region generally had higher proportions of university graduates and higher household incomes.

In 2025, Tanglin had the highest proportion of residents with university qualifications, at 83.6 per cent.

It was followed by River Valley, Newton, Downtown Core and Bukit Timah, where more than 70 per cent of residents held university qualifications.

Downtown Core recorded the highest median monthly household market income per household member, at S$13,396 in 2025.

Newton came next at S$12,222, followed by River Valley at S$9,923.

The report noted that higher-income areas remained concentrated in Singapore's central region, although household market incomes had also increased in other parts of the country.

The report concluded that the development of new housing estates, the ageing of older areas and changing socio-economic profiles reflected Singapore's evolving geographical landscape.

Bambang Sofyan, an Indonesian Gojek driver, received a ticket to Kanye West's (now just Ye) concert in Jakarta after completing the lyrics of his song "Praise God".

The incident took place on Saturday, Oct. 24, when Australian content creator @off_wyatt (Wyatt) was looking for a Ye fan who did not have a ticket to the concert.

To win it, participants had to correctly continue the lyrics of a Ye song.

Wyatt then filmed himself approaching several ride-hailing drivers, but it was Bambang, who had sent the influencer to his destination, who completed the challenge (with some help).

In the Instagram reel, Bambang appeared overjoyed, smiling widely, raising his arms and jumping excitedly after receiving the ticket.

People around cheered him on, while Instagram users also expressed their happiness for him in the comments.

One comment read,

"[A] concert ticket is such a luxury for common Indonesian even for the middle class, thank you for the kind gesture 🙌"

Realised he hadn't gotten paid

According to Kompas, Bambang was resting when three foreigners approached him.

He offered to take them to the concert venue on his motorcycle.

The men agreed and asked how much the ride would cost.

As the destination was nearby, Bambang told them they could pay whatever amount they wanted.

"I was confused about how much to charge. The main thing was just getting a ride," Bambang told Kompas in a phone interview on Oct. 28.

Bambang said he did not realise Wyatt was filming him during the journey.

Upon arriving at the venue, Bambang noticed that two other Gojek drivers who had transported Wyatt's friends were each paid 50,000 rupiah (approximately S$3.52), while he had not received his fare.

He was confused as to why he had not been paid.

Wyatt then asked Bambang to follow him, saying he would pay him afterwards.

"Wyatt told me, 'You just need to continue the lyrics of a Kanye West song that I'm going to recite.'

"I asked him, 'What song?' and he replied, 'It cannot always be night.'"

"So I thought, 'Oh, okay, if that's all I have to do,'" Bambang told Kompas.

When Wyatt recited the lyrics from "Praise God", Bambang correctly continued them on his first attempt.

Bambang said Wyatt immediately handed him the ticket after he answered.

Surprised at ticket cost

A staff member later told Bambang the ticket was worth about 10 million rupiah, as seen in his Instagram reel.

“Wow, 10 million rupiah, bro?” he exclaimed.

According to Ye’s official Jakarta concert website, VIP East and VIP West tickets cost 9.85 million rupiah (approximately S$694.51).

Bambang was able to enter the VIP lounge, where food and drinks were provided for concertgoers.

Wyatt carried Bambang on his shoulders as the driver enjoyed the concert alongside the rest of the crowd.

Bambang later thanked Wyatt and his friends in a post on social media.

"Thanks to all the good people, Mr @off_wyatt and friends. I will always remember this moment. I am very, very, very happy. Amazing,"

Singapore and Malaysia simulated a fire on board a stranded Johor Bahru–Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link train on Oct. 27, to test how agencies from both countries would respond to a cross-border emergency.

The scenario put jointly developed emergency response protocols to the test, according to Second Minister for Foreign Affairs and Second Minister for Home Affairs Sim Ann, who spoke at the exercise’s closing ceremony at Wadi Hana Depot in Johor Bahru on Oct. 28.

Testing communication and deployment across the border

In her closing address, Sim said Malaysia’s Operations Centre at Bukit Chagar and Singapore’s Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) Integrated Operations Centre maintained real-time contact throughout the exercise.

This allowed both sides to develop a common understanding of the situation and share their response plans.

Officers and station operators on both sides also coordinated the deployment of fire and rescue, law enforcement and border control personnel.

Sim said the agencies demonstrated effective command and control, with officers showing a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities.

She noted that each RTS Link train will carry more than 600 passengers, with journeys taking about five minutes. An emergency could therefore affect many passengers at short notice while involving two countries with different laws, agencies and command structures.

“An emergency on board a crowded and fast-moving train leaves little room for error,” she said.

She urged participating agencies to study the exercise’s observations and discuss them with their counterparts to improve their joint response plans before an actual incident occurs.

Followed a tabletop exercise in September

Sim said agencies from both countries have been developing frameworks, laws and operational protocols for cross-border incidents since 2023.

Officers also took part in a tabletop exercise in September 2026 to work through procedures for natural hazards, medical emergencies, fires, and public order and security incidents.

The Oct. 27 field exercise then tested those plans under realistic conditions.

Passenger services expected to begin in February 2027

The exercise comes ahead of the rail link’s expected opening in February 2027.

In an Oct. 2 press release, train service operator RTS Operations Pte Ltd (RTSO) said it expected to complete all system tests and trial runs by Dec. 31 this year.

RTSO said the expected February 2027 start of passenger services took into account the remaining works, independent safety certification and approvals from both countries’ authorities.

In a separate joint news release on Oct. 2, Singapore’s Land Transport Authority and Malaysia’s Ministry of Transport said the revised opening timeline remained subject to independent safety certification and final regulatory approvals.

The RTS Link will connect Bukit Chagar in Johor Bahru with Woodlands North in Singapore, with a peak capacity of up to 10,000 passengers per hour in each direction.

Passengers will undergo immigration clearance at their departure station, where both countries’ customs, immigration and quarantine facilities will be co-located.