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14,000 reported cases of voluntarily causing hurt each year from 2023 to 2025; 30% investigated by police
Otherwise, complainants will be advised by the police to file a magistrate's complaint
Workers' Party MP Kenneth Tiong asked Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam what criteria are applied by the police in deciding whether to investigate a report of voluntarily causing hurt.
PHOTO: Screengrab/YouTube/MDDI
PUBLISHED ONFebruary 25, 2026 7:08 PMBYSean LerAbout 14,000 cases of voluntarily causing hurt (VCH) were reported each year between 2023 and 2025, said Minister for Home Affairs K Shanmugam.
Shanmugam, who is also the Coordinating Minister for National Security, was responding to a parliamentary question on Wednesday (Feb 25) by Member of Parliament Kenneth Tiong.
Tiong, who represents Aljunied GRC, had asked about the police's criteria for investigating cases of voluntarily causing hurt, including when victims are referred to file a magistrate's complaint.
He also asked whether the criteria accounted for repeated assaults by the same perpetrator, and for the number of such cases in the last three years.
In his written reply, the minister said that police will initiate investigations into reports of VCH when there is harm to public interest and safety, if it involves vulnerable victims, or there are other aggravating factors, such as whether it is a repeat offence by the perpetrator.
A vulnerable person is one who, because of physical and/or mental infirmity, disability or incapacity, is unable to protect themself from harm.
He added that otherwise, complainants will be advised to file a magistrate's complaint.
Shanmugam also revealed that between 2023 and 2025, there were about 14,000 cases of voluntarily causing hurt each year.
"Approximately 30 per cent of these cases were investigated," the minister said.
He added that the police do not track whether an investigation was initiated by the police or directed by a magistrate.
