A recent family court case in Singapore saw a father obtain a Personal Protection Order (PPO) for his seven-year-old daughter against her mother, after repeated emotional and psychological abuse was documented over several months.
The order was granted in late 2025 under the expanded definition of family violence introduced by amendments to the Women’s Charter (Family Violence and Other Matters) Act, which took effect in January 2025 and explicitly recognises emotional and psychological harm as forms of family violence.
In the case, audio recordings of daily verbal aggression and threats were submitted as evidence, prompting the Family Justice Courts to grant the PPO to protect the child from further harm.
This case reflects a growing number of applications, around 32 per cent of PPOs issued in 2025 cited emotional or psychological abuse alone.
Ms Chong Xin Yi, Head of Dispute Resolution at Gloria James-Civetta & Co., explained that proving emotional and psychological abuse poses unique challenges in court. “Such conduct typically occurs in private, without independent witnesses, and rarely leaves immediate or tangible physical markers,” she said. “As a result, there is often little or no contemporaneous documentary, audio or visual evidence, and the court is left to assess competing narratives, particularly where the alleged perpetrator denies that the acts complained of occurred at all.”
Ms Chong further noted that even when such conduct is established, applicants must still demonstrate that it crosses the legal threshold for emotional or psychological abuse, rather than being dismissed as poor parenting, isolated incidents, or typical family conflict. “Evidence such as text messages, and audio and video recordings can support applications for PPOs,” she added, “and expert or medical evidence documenting the harm caused by the abuse can also be crucial.”
This case highlights the practical application of Singapore’s expanded legal framework for family violence and underscores the importance of thorough evidence gathering when seeking protective orders. Gloria James-Civetta & Co. remains committed to assisting families navigating complex family law matters, including PPO applications, and advising clients on how to effectively present and support their cases under Singapore law.
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