k-ID Talks! Episode 8: Kay Lii on expanding online safety beyond victim support

🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts

🎧 Listen on Spotify

‍

Online abuse isn’t just something that happens to “other people.” Data from SG Her Empowerment (SHE) shows that 2 in 5 people in Singapore have either experienced online harm or know someone who has. Yet, many still underestimate its frequency and impact.

Kay Lii, Chief Operating Officer of SHE, leads Singapore’s first dedicated support center for online harm victims. Over the past two years, her team has provided legal aid, counseling, and advocacy to over 250 survivors, with more than 3,600 support touchpoints. But for Kay, real change isn’t only about helping victims, but about fixing the system that allows harm to happen in the first place.

Beyond victim support: Addressing the root causes

SHE Singapore was built to help victims navigate legal processes, access counseling, and recover from trauma. But through their work, the team has identified a critical gap: what happens to the perpetrators?

“When we speak to family care officers and social service providers, they all ask us the same thing: What about rehabilitation?” Kay explains. “We can’t just leave perpetrators to be. We need to address the behaviors at their root and reintegrate them into society in a way that prevents future harm.”

To break cycles of harm, SHE is now developing rehabilitation-focused programs that center on digital ethics, empathy, and accountability, ensuring that online spaces are not just reactive to abuse, but proactively shaping better behaviors.

Why parents and educators are key to prevention

For Kay, prevention starts with parents and educators, yet many feel unprepared to guide children through complex online risks like deepfakes, cyberstalking, and digital exploitation.

“Everything starts at home,” she emphasizes. “Schools and society can help, but parents shape how children interact with the digital world. The problem is that many parents don’t feel empowered to have these conversations.”

In 2025, SHE will expand its education efforts, equipping parents and teachers with tools, language, and frameworks to navigate these discussions effectively. The goal is to make digital safety an ongoing, informed conversation, not just a one-time warning.

The rising threat of deepfakes and AI-driven harm

Deepfake technology is a growing concern in Singapore, with cases already emerging. While not yet at the scale seen in other countries, Kay warns that it’s only a matter of time before these abuses become widespread.

“We’re a small country, and when something like this spreads, it spreads fast,” she says.

That’s why SHE is working closely with tech companies and policymakers to ensure that digital safety measures keep pace with evolving threats. In February, SHE will host a symposium focused on deepfakes and AI, bringing together industry leaders and experts to discuss privacy tools, mitigation strategies, and public awareness initiatives.

The next steps for digital safety

SHE’s focus for the coming year includes:
✅ Scaling education efforts for parents, teachers, and youth
✅ Developing rehabilitation programs to prevent reoffending
✅ Collaborating with tech platforms to improve safety tools and awareness

When asked to summarize her vision for the future of online safety in three words, Kay chooses:
Empowerment. Education. Empathy.

Because lasting change requires not just reacting to harm, but ensuring that individuals, families, and entire communities are equipped to prevent it.

‍