Singapore stores offering naughty comics to teens

Channel News Asia reports that some bookstores in Singapore are selling or renting comic books containing "sexually explicit content" to students, in violation of the Undesirable Publications Act.

Under the law, comics that contain nudity, coarse language or explicit vioence are banned, and anyone who sells, rents or exhibits those books can be fined up to $10,000, jailed for up to two years, or both.

The article doesn't name any of the comics.

The violations were brought to the attention of Channel News Asia by a mother who claims her 16-year-old daughter began having sexual fantasies after reading such comics. (Because, you know, 16-year-olds don't usually have naughty thoughts.)

"There is nudity and love-making scenes," the mother told the reporter. "The themes revolve around falling in love, sex and there is no other value in the content."

The concerned, and apparently prying, parent said her daughter's diary entries indicated she wanted to imitate the acts of some of the characters in the comic.

"If she hadn't controlled herself and did what she fantasised, what kind of person would she be? What would the consequences be?"