Singapore legislation
Section 376E
Section 376E
Sexual grooming of minor below 16 years of age
(1)
Any person of or above 18 years of age (A) shall be guilty of an offence if having met or communicated with another person (B) on at least one previous occasion —
A intentionally meets B or travels with the intention of meeting B or B travels to attend a meeting with A which A has either initiated or agreed to whether expressly or by implication; and
at the time of the acts referred to in paragraph (a) —
A intends to do anything to or in respect of B, during or after the meeting, which if done will involve the commission by A of a relevant offence;
B is below 16 years of age; and
A does not reasonably believe that B is of or above 16 years of age.
(2)
In subsection (1), “relevant offence” means an offence under —
section 355, 372, 373, 373A, 375, 376, 376A, 376B, 376C, 376EB, 376ED, 376F, 376H, 377(3), 377A, 377B(3), 377BA, 377BB, 377BF, 377BG or 377BH;
section 8 of the Children and Young Persons Act 1993; or
section 140(1) of the Women’s Charter 1961.
(3)
For the purposes of this section, it is immaterial whether the previous occasion of A having met or communicated with B referred to in subsection (1) took place in or outside Singapore.
(4)
A person who is guilty of an offence under this section shall on conviction —
in the case where the offence is committed against a victim who is below 14 years of age and A does not reasonably believe that B is of or above that age, be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to 4 years, or with fine, or with both; or
in any other case, be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to 3 years, or with fine, or with both.