I don't get it

Someone please explain this to me.

How can a mother, let alone THREE mothers do this to their children???

THE SCARS LEFT BY ABUSE
Thursday May 24, 2007

Incest victims battle trauma as mothers are sentenced

Loh Chee Kongcheekong@mediacorp.com.sg

THEIR father's incestuous acts have left the six daughters, now aged 14 to17, with profound psychological scars.

One of them now has "difficulty in managing her sexual urges" while another has developed a "phobic reaction" to the words "torn" and "tear"as they reminded her of the sexual abuses.

And they will have to cope without three of their mothers, who were sentenced to jail yesterday for helping their husband - who had 10 wives and 64 children - commit incest over a period of 15 months.

Yesterday, District Judge Shaiffudin Saruwan sentenced the first and second wives, aged 39 and 38, to three years' jail, for persuading each of their daughters, both then 14, to have sex with their father.

The heaviest punishment went to the third wife, 42, who was sentenced to nine years behind bars.

She had pleaded guilty to three charges, including an aggravated incest charge of persuading her own 12-year-old daughter to have sex with herf ather.

Describing the jail term as "appropriate", Judge Shaiffudin stressed that the act of abetting incest is a "serious case of abuse of trust", evoking strong public outrage. The sentence must thus "accurately reflect society's abhorrence for this type of offence", he added. He also read out how each of the victims was coping based on the psychological treatment reports that were submitted to the court.

According to the reports, most of them were angry at their father's actions, although one of them still "expressed strong loyalty towards her father's (religious) teachings and downplayed the seriousness of the abuse".

The man is currently serving a 32-year, 24-stroke sentence.

The victims had sought the court's leniency in sentencing, as they were concerned that their family would suffer more if their mothers were jailed.

But while acknowledging the emotional and financial burden on the family,Judge Shaiffudin noted that the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports (MCYS) and the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (Muis)have been assisting them.

For example, he pointed out, all 29 of the primary school-going children had been placed under a student care programme run by the Student Care Centre, with their fees waived.

Said the judge: "I am assured that with this holistic approach towards the provision of financial and emotional assistance and support, they would be better able to cope in the aftermath of this unfortunate episode."

"The family members and relatives present appeared distraught, especially when the third wife was sentenced, and several wept as the three were led away.

Copyright ©2005 MediaCorp Press Ltd All rights reserved

Like most mothers, I am protective of my children. The maternal instinct is one of nurturing, & of protecting one's young. Yet, these three people (I don't want to call them mothers anymore) have demonstrated a morally reprehensible & disgusting act, one which I cannot comprehend.

What kind of brainwashing did they go through by their husband, probably under the guise of some warped religious belief, to make them force their daughters into incest?

I don't understand. I don't get it.