Hong Kong father jailed for 22 years for decade-long sexual abuse of daughter

A Hong Kong father has been sentenced to 22 years in prison for the decade-long sexual abuse of his daughter, according to prosecutors. The 48-year-old, identified as Y.S., raped his daughter 14 times between 2014 and 2024, starting when the victim was just 14 years old. On Tuesday, the High Court's Recorder of the Court of First Instance, Eric Kwok, sentenced Y.S. to the lengthy term.

Kwok described the case as "one of the worst" rape cases in Hong Kong and expressed sympathy for the victim, who endured "a living hell" during the abuse. Despite pleading guilty to 14 counts of rape and one count of buggery without consent in July, the court ruled that Y.S. had not shown genuine remorse. The offender, who worked as a construction worker, was accused of repeatedly raping his daughter at their homes in Hong Kong and Shenzhen, often slapping her when she resisted and raping her even when she had a fever.

He also ordered his daughter to take contraceptive pills. The victim only reported the abuse to the police in April 2024, following another incident. Kwok stated that the offender had not truly reflected on his actions and had only pleaded guilty when he knew he would be convicted. Advocates have been calling for the creation of a new offence of persistent child sexual abuse in Hong Kong, as the current legal system requires victims to pinpoint specific incidents, making it challenging and painful for those who experienced childhood sexual abuse.