Raeesah Khan
Singapore
“Thank you. Like I mentioned before, I think there were two things that were going through my mind. The first was that I really wanted to protect the identity of the survivor and the survivors in the women's support group. And secondly, a lot of people did not know about this assault until very recently including my family.”
“Thank you for those clarifications. I have been really reflecting on this episode and why I told the anecdote the way it was, and I think a lot of it had to do with the fact that I did not have my own courage to report my own assault.”
“Yes, that was untrue. That was not the truth. Firstly, I want to say that when I was questioned subsequently, what was going through my mind was that I wanted to protect the survivor and the people who were in the group.”
“Yes, one of the principles of being in a women's support group is that the details should remain confidential. And that is something that I shared in my speech that I feel this failure deeply. Because I, myself, am a survivor, so, I understand what it feels like to have information out there that that I did not consent to.”
“Thank you. Yes, I do because I am here today and I am accountable for my actions. I have apologised to the House. I have retracted the anecdote that I made and I have also apologised to the Singapore Police Force. I recognise that there was a lapse of judgement, but I am here today to apologise for it.”
“Thank you. I do not know any of the details. All I knew was what I shared in my speech on 3 August and that was an account from the survivor. I understand that it is not going to be able to be verified and hence, I have withdrawn my anecdote and apologised to the Singapore Police Force as well.”
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“I think one of the important parts of that post was that I would remain accountable. And I think today, here standing in Parliament, I am remaining accountable to my voters and to myself and to the principles that I wish to uphold.”
“Thank you. Yes, I do because I am here today and I am accountable for my actions. I have apologised to the House. I have retracted the anecdote that I made and I have also apologised to the Singapore Police Force. I recognise that there was a lapse of judgement, but I am here today to apologise for it. And I think that goes back to the spirit of what I initially said a year ago.”
“Yes, one of the principles of being in a women's support group is that the details should remain confidential. And that is something that I shared in my speech that I feel this failure deeply. Because I, myself, am a survivor, so, I understand what it feels like to have information out there that that I did not consent to. This has been a lesson of consent for me. And yes, like I said, it is a failure I take very deeply.”
“Thank you. I do not know any of the details. All I knew was what I shared in my speech on 3 August and that was an account from the survivor. I understand that it is not going to be able to be verified and hence, I have withdrawn my anecdote and apologised to the Singapore Police Force as well.”
“Thank you. Like I mentioned before, I think there were two things that were going through my mind. The first was that I really wanted to protect the identity of the survivor and the survivors in the women's support group. And secondly, a lot of people did not know about this assault until very recently including my family. So, I was not ready at that point to come forward with this information. But after being able to have discussions with my family, with my friends and also informing the relevant people, it was it was clear that I wanted to make this apology; I wanted to make this personal explanation like I have done so today.”
“So, if I was unclear, I apologise. Yes, I do feel like it would have been possible. But in my haste and in my passion to advocate for survivors like myself, I did a mistake.”
“Thank you for those clarifications. I have been really reflecting on this episode and why I told the anecdote the way it was, and I think a lot of it had to do with the fact that I did not have my own courage to report my own assault. So, I felt very compelled to ensure that other survivors who do get the courage to report the assault to have that process done with respect and dignity. But I recognise the Leader of the House's comments and I do recognise that it was not the right way to go about it. That is why I am here today, admitting that it was a mistake and here making a very frank apology. Thank you.”
“Yes, I did not want to disclose publicly that I was a part of a women's support group.”
“Yes, that was untrue. That was not the truth. Firstly, I want to say that when I was questioned subsequently, what was going through my mind was that I wanted to protect the survivor and the people who were in the group. Secondly, like I mentioned, it is really difficult to share a traumatic experience like this and to share that I was a part of that group in the first place. So, I just wanted to clarify that these were the things that were going through my mind when I was answering these questions. Thank you.”
“Yes, I confirm that. That was not the whole truth.”
“Thank you, Leader of the House. Yes, it is correct and hence, why I am making this apology today.”
“LastIy, I want to apologise to the survivor whose quote I used, to the House, to my constituents, to the Workers' Party, its members and volunteers, and to my family, especially to my parents. To the residents of Sengkang, I will work even harder for you. Thank you.”
“On 3 August, I spoke in this House on the Motion on Empowering Women. During my speech, I had shared an anecdote of a survivor of sexual assault. I was not present with the survivor in the Police station as I described. The anecdote was shared by the survivor in a support group for women, which I was a part of. I did not share that I was a part of the group as I did not have the courage to publicly admit that I was part of it. I attended the support group because I, myself, am a survivor of sexual assault. I was sexually assaulted when I was 18 studying abroad. That assault has traumatised me till this day. The fear and shame accompanying sexual assault is extreme and long lasting, as it has been and still is for me. Unlike the survivor whose anecdote I shared in this House, I did not have the courage to report my own assault. Yet, as a survivor, I wanted so deeply to speak up and also share the account I had heard when speaking on the Motion without revealing my own private experience. I should not have shared the survivor's anecdote without her consent, nor should I have said that I accompanied her to the Police station when I did not. It was wrong of me to do so. To survivors of sexual violence, I hope that this does not deter you from reporting your assaults. In sharing an anecdote without consent, I disregarded the principle of consent in discussions around survivors' consent and sexual assault. As a survivor myself, I feel this failure deeply. It is important for me to take responsibility for my actions, for my error of judgement and to set the record straight. I wish to correct the record by retracting the anecdote that I shared on 3 August and I wish to apologise to the Singapore Police Force.”
“Thank you. I would still like for it to remain confidential. Thank you.”
“I understand but, with regard to confidentiality, I will not be revealing any other information. Thank you.”
“With regard to confidentiality, with the survivor, I wiould not like to reveal any of this information. Thank you.”
“Thank you. I do not know the identity of the Police officers.”
“I thank the Minister for the clarifications. Like I said, it did happen three years ago and I have not been successful getting in touch with the person that I accompanied, and with regard to confidentiality, I would prefer for it to remain that way.”
“Thank you, Mdm Deputy Speaker. My speech earlier should not be construed as casting aspersions on the Police. That was not my intention and should not be interpreted as such. The Police is part of the solution and not the problem. I raised the example because it was my experience with a survivor. The episode I raised in my speech took place three years ago and I have been unsuccessful in getting in touch with them. I believe that given the topic at hand, consent is imperative, not least to avoid re-victimisation. I will communicate directly with MHA on any episode in the future where a survivor believes she has been processed inappropriately by the Police, even as I will try my best to maintain my relationship of confidentiality with the victim.”
“Thank you for those clarifications. Like I mentioned, it was three years ago and I do not wish to re-traumatise the person that I had accompanied. But I have to say that these anecdotes are not isolated. Perhaps, this can start further discussions on how victims or survivors are treated after they make reports. This may not just be when they make reports to the Police but it can also be how they make reports to other institutions. Sorry, what was your second point?”
“I call all of us in this House to work towards fulfilling the aspirations of Singapore women. I support this Motion. 6.00 pm”
“The government of the day sets the tone on acceptance and tolerance at times. If our uniformed services do not pledge to create inclusive spaces, it shows Singaporeans, especially those in the private sector, that they too can discriminate. Indeed, we have evidence of this happening, such as the Tangs employee who was asked to remove her hijab to be hired as a promoter. I understand that for some Singaporeans, the hijab may be a divisive topic. To combat this, we need to educate our society on the various forms of religious expression. Instead of hiding or pushing them aside, we must encourage Singaporeans to embrace our differences. We must interrogate our preconceived notions and stereotypes against minority races, so that we do not judge each other superficially. Only this will truly lead to the unity in diversity that we strive for as a multicultural nation. I wish to conclude with a story that touched me while I was on one of my house visits. I met a young five-year-old girl being cared for by her grandmother whilst her parents got a much-needed break. The grandmother invited me in and made me some delicious bandung, while the girl chatted away to me, sharing with me her many interests, including her obsession with planes! She told me that one day she would like to be a pilot and fly planes high in the sky. When I think about gender equality, I think about her and the barriers being broken down even now. Not so long ago, female pilots were non-existent and even now they are rare. But how wonderful is it to think that we have the opportunity to continue breaking down these barriers, so girls like her too can have limitless dreams. This is what I feel is the crux of this Motion.”
“On top of this, measures should be put in place that discourage men from attempting to skirt the law by registering marriages abroad. There are many contributors to gender equality and one of them is financial liberation. How do we ensure that gender does not hamper each of us from being able to support ourselves? The lack of inclusive workplaces, especially for women who wear the hijab, remains a powerful barrier to women today. The hijab, to many women, is sacred and represents a deeply personal relationship that they have with their religion. Though there are many schools of thought in Islam on the necessity of various degrees of modesty, for some, covering the head is an essential part of their Muslim identity and practice. Earlier this year, in this House, my colleague Mr Faisal Manap brought up the very important point that COVID-19 has made it a tough time for many. People have lost their jobs or have difficulty finding employment, especially women who wear the hijab. Ms He Ting Ru rightly points out that women are disproportionately affected by this pandemic. Indeed, one resident, a nurse, approached me sharing that she felt torn that she had to choose between her faith and providing for her family. I am glad to hear that the Government will be reviewing their position on nurses donning the hijab. There are many workplaces that still discriminate against the hijab, such as other uniformed groups. Recently, New Zealand’s police force introduced the hijab as part of its uniform. In the Royal Derby Hospital in the UK, staff receive disposable sterile headscarves, and the US army has made hijabs part of its uniform in 2017. I would like to ask the Minister when the ruling on hijabs in these spaces will be reviewed. Why is the Government’s stance so important?”
“Growing up, I remember having a conversation with one of my classmates in Primary school about how her father had decided to marry another wife in Batam against her mother’s wishes. This caused a huge financial strain on her family and her home environment grew increasingly unstable. She would come to school crying and found it difficult to concentrate on her studies. Polygamy does not only affect the man in the relationship, it also affects women and children. In Islam, the desired outcomes to teachings are generally for us to bring good to society. However, we see that some effects of polygamy are clearly negative. While the Government cannot do much about individuals who leave Singapore to marry additional wives, the fact that polygamy is allowed under the law reinforces its cultural acceptance, serving as a justification for those who skirt the regulations. In countries like Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Tunisia and Turkey, polygamy is banned. But if banning polygamy outright is too much for now, perhaps we can begin with some first steps. We can make the consent of the existing wife mandatory for second marriages, as is done in Indonesia. Measures must be taken to ensure that this consent is given willingly rather than under coercion. Alternatively, we can adopt a rebuttable legal presumption that an applicant cannot be fair and/or provide equally for both his existing and potential wives. This leaves the law in place, but ends polygamy in practice. Another option is to include an additional clause in the "automatic" standard and printed clauses in the marriage certificate, stipulating in the marriage contract that a husband cannot take another wife. In these ways, the Government can discourage the practice more intentionally before prohibiting it completely.”
“The counselling process will allow for doctors to first assess if a baby is medically fit to undergo the procedure, as well as to educate parents on the potential risks. The counselling can also serve to make sure neither parent is being coerced to comply with the practice, either by their spouse, relatives or external parties. After counselling, there should be a mandatory 48-hour period, after which, if the parents still wish to proceed with the cutting, they may arrange another appointment. The decision to proceed should be unanimous and there should be measures in place to ensure that the procedure is being done with the knowledge of both parents. Finally, I hope that the Ministry can commission a study to find out the prevalence of the practice and evaluate the accompanying medical risks that may follow. This will help us understand the potential medical risks faced by those who undergo the procedure. In Singapore, only in marriages under the Registry of Muslim Marriages (RMM) are men allowed to marry more than one wife, and even up to four wives at one time. Our regulations stipulate that each application is rigorously reviewed by the RMM, and that it is only approved if "there’s an urgent reason or necessity" or a "good reason" for the subsequent marriages. Recently, a community initiative called Lepak Conversations did a survey on multiple issues pertaining to gender equality. Their survey found that even though regulations here may be stricter than in other countries, many men still marry their subsequent wives abroad, ignoring the need for an approval letter from the state. In 2014, it was reported that more than 100 Singaporean men underwent a second, unregistered marriage in Indonesia.”
“5 centimetre, this may lead to a disproportionate loss of nerve endings and the creation of scar tissue. Additionally, as with any invasive medical procedure, there is always a chance of infection. Female genital cutting may also hurt a baby’s attachment to her caregiver. A study by the Washington University School of Medicine found that a common defence mechanism of the nervous system to pain is to shut down, which negatively affects interactions with the caregiver. A second potential negative mental health impact is on childhood brain development. Exposure to acute pain in babies and children activates biological stress responses, which may hinder optimal development. In essence, babies feel pain. Even if they process it differently from adults, babies still face the risk of long-term physical and mental health implications – as well as strained bonds with their parents – with female genital cutting. In a reply to the BBC article, a representative of MUIS said it "does not condone any procedures which bring harm to the individual", adding that the Council has "always held the position that female genital cutting should be avoided". Noting the pain that such acts can bring to females undergoing such practices, I strongly urge the MOH to conduct a thorough review of female genital cutting procedures done in private clinics. We should aim to standardise and make transparent the amount of skin cut during the procedure, or enforce that the practice should be purely symbolic, ensure that the proper instrumentation is used, and, as with similar types of medical procedures, require medical counselling for those who seek to carry it out.”
“This will help build confidence in the sensitivity and capacity of law enforcement to handle difficult issues delicately, and will encourage more victims of sexual violence to come forward. While I acknowledge that providing more victim support and increased reporting will require more resources on the part of law enforcement, I believe that this is something we must commit to. No victim should ever feel like those with the power to safeguard them have disregarded their needs. I move on to the topic of female genital cutting or FGC, defined by UNICEF as the injury, partial, or total removal of the external female genital organs for non-medical reasons. This practice – Sunat Perempuan, as it is known in Malay – continues in Singapore, quiet though it may be. It has not escaped the notice of the foreign press, such as Reuters and the BBC, or even local activists working on this issue. Many of my friends in the Malay/Muslim community have gone through this practice themselves. While there are many facets to this complex issue, I wish today to solely focus on the medical and health implications of the practice. As recently as 20 years ago, FGC was performed by traditional midwives in homes with no sterilisation or anaesthesia. Today, I understand that the procedure is mostly performed by doctors in private clinics. The cut ranges from a symbolic placement of scissors or a penknife on the intended organ, or a nick, but the most common form of cutting in Singapore still involves some removal of genital tissue. The effects of FGC are wide-ranging. Anecdotal experiences reveal an over-cutting or laceration of other parts of the vulva. Considering that the typical size of a baby girl’s vulva is a mere 1.”
“Could the Minister for Social and Family Development share on current work done by the Ministry and other Government agencies to offer robust and accessible survivor support in the medium to longer term, including but not limited to psychologists, therapists and support group linkages? In my line of work, I have accompanied people to Police stations to make reports on sexual violence. It is already incredibly difficult for survivors to feel comfortable making a report in the first place, but sometimes the responses from those called to protect us can be disheartening. Three years ago, I accompanied a 25-year-old survivor to make a Police report against a rape that was committed against her. She came out crying. The Police officer had allegedly made comments about her dressing and the fact that she was drinking. We need better treatment of survivors of sexual assault and sexual harassment by law enforcement. In recent years, we have seen training rolled out for judges and regulations for how lawyers argue sexual assault cases – all steps in the right direction to prevent re-victimisation. I would like to call on MHA to provide more Police officers with specific sexual violence training to handle sexual assault and harassment cases with sensitivity and care towards victims during the reporting and investigation process. Survivor-centered care is a crucial step in addressing sexual violence and our Police officers can also be supported by counsellors or trained mental health personnel at Police stations other than the Onesafe Centre in Police Cantonment Complex. Assuring survivors that they can be taken seriously and not blamed for the horrors that they have faced is an important step of making our law enforcement system more just.”
“This March, a woman was jailed for sexually assaulting her daughter's intellectually disabled schoolmate on several occasions. These cases surfaced as the first victim's teacher had noticed something was amiss and the second victim had reported the incidents to social workers. As with all sexual assault cases, it is likely that many more go unreported. I would like to ask the Minister for Home Affairs, out of the total number of sexual assault cases reported and prosecuted in the past five years, how many cases involved individuals with intellectual disabilities? I hope that studies can be done on this issue so we can better protect our Singaporeans with intellectual disabilities from violence and its resulting trauma. Where possible, we should also seek to improve training for teachers, social workers and others who may interact with these vulnerable individuals, to help them better identify potential cases of abuse and sexual violence. As we improve our policies targeted at preventing sexual violence, it is just as important for us to improve support for survivors. The suicide of a South Korean female air force officer, three months after she had been sexually assaulted and pressured to cover it up, is a powerful reminder of the cost of turning a blind eye to survivors and their needs. In the case of Nicholas Lim, who filmed a fellow female student while she was showering, the survivor shared with the public that she did not receive much support. While many institutions have since moved to improve their support structures for survivors of sexual violence, this has likely varied among institutions. It is incredible to see the emergence of more ground-up initiatives, including safe spaces and support groups for victims of sexual assault.”
“Mdm Deputy Speaker, my speech today is about women. I want to focus on four main areas: sexual violence, female genital cutting, polygamy and the hijab. Last month, I spoke about sexuality education. I shared that underaged cases made up 37% of sexual violence cases between 2017 and 2019. Yet, our sexuality education programmes only teach consent explicitly at the University level and sexuality education at lower levels happens just once or twice a year. Without consent-focused sexuality education from a young age, our children remain vulnerable to sexual violence – a trauma that can hurt a person for a lifetime. Sexuality education is a lifelong journey that starts at home and in school. Open, non-judgmental discussions about consent and respect under a standardised and compulsory national curriculum are essential, as are safe spaces and bystander training from an early age. This will help our children grow up to be responsible, aware adults and make Singapore a safe and nurturing home for all. The PAP Women's Wing and Young PAP released a Joint Paper last week on Women's Development that includes a review of sexuality education. I am glad to see this consensus on our need to update sexuality education and look forward to more conversations on such updates. Persons with intellectual disabilities, too, have often been victims of sexual violence. In the US, a study on sex crimes data found that persons with intellectual disabilities of all genders were victims of sexual assault at rates over seven times higher than those of persons without intellectual disabilities. Closer to home, a man was charged in November last year for sexually assaulting his 17-year-old intellectually disabled daughter when her mother was not home.”
“I thank the Senior Minister of State. I have two supplementary questions. I am glad to hear that the withdrawal limit for inpatient treatment is now $160. But the withdrawal limit for physical treatment is $455. Is there going to be a review to, hopefully, equalise this amount? Secondly, we know that the pandemic has exacerbated a lot of mental health issues. Are there any plans for establishing another tertiary psychiatric institution?”
“Both of them shared with me that before the pandemic, both businesses were doing well and that they were able to pay their workers fairly and make a profit. After the pandemic, however, they have been struggling. They have had to let staff go and are even considering closing their businesses. I believe we can do more to support these enterprises. For example, as my colleague Mr Leon Perera has suggested, we can include more businesses from these sectors in the SingapoRediscovers Voucher scheme so that they can be assisted while enabling the public to benefit from the services they provide. Mdm Deputy Speaker, the effects of COVID-19 are multi-faceted. Among these are socio-economic consequences as well as psychological ones. This is a time where we need to support one another. Part of this is to make sure that assistance is going where it is needed most. Among those who need our collective backing right now are those in the arts and recreation sectors who are among the many SMEs that account for a significant proportion of Singapore’s employment. More broadly, mental health issues can fester if ignored. If we are not careful, we may risk a generation of students who have to grapple with mental health issues over the longer term. In October last year, I spoke in this House calling for greater awareness on the importance of mental health. Awareness on the issue has since improved, with more open discussions, but more can and should be done. The mental health impact of COVID-19, which is a worldwide phenomenon, can have real implications for well-being in our society. I ask policymakers and fellow Singaporeans to continue to treat this issue with the urgency and openness it deserves.”
“The prolonged slump in the arts and recreation sectors, coupled with restrictions that continue to affect businesses and individuals, brings the long-term viability and revival of these sectors into question. These challenging times may lead people to pivot out of these sectors, as they look for ways to survive economically. For example, in February this year, a Mr Chiya Amos penned his experience in TodayOnline. Mr Amos worked as a conductor in opera houses prior to the pandemic, but now works with Foodpanda making deliveries. His story is admirable, as it shows his strength and resilience, but it also compels me to think if there is more that we can do to support individuals like him. There are probably many more such stories untold. It speaks to a nationwide phenomenon where many leave these industries, including recent graduates and young adults who have spent the last few years investing their education in these areas. Our arts and recreation sectors include many independent contractors and Singaporean-owned businesses. Uncertainty caused by the pandemic, especially that surrounding their livelihoods, will inevitably add to the toll on such business owners and potentially create long-term scarring of these sectors. How does the Government plan to work with these sectors to ensure their medium- and long-term viability? Can the Government provide an update on how it is looking to partner and understand the concerns of the businesses serving the arts and recreation sectors and help them work through the issues they face? I recently spoke to a resident of Compassvale who started her own business partnership before the pandemic. Her father is the owner of a gym.”
“I hope that, in addition to those policies listed by the Minister, there can be further policy options explored to improve our mental health infrastructure. I specifically call on the relevant Government agencies to look at the feasibility in two areas: firstly, establishing another tertiary psychiatric hospital; and, secondly, the implementation of a Professional Conversion Programme (PCP) for Counsellors, akin to the PCP for Social Workers and Allied Health Professionals. Let me also touch on our arts and recreation sectors, which share an intricate relationship with our mental health as a society. During the tough months of the circuit breaker last year and in the past one and a half years, people from all over the world have turned to various forms of entertainment to keep themselves healthy. The arts and recreation sectors are crucial to our mental health wellness and it is integral we keep them alive and survive the pandemic. Since the pandemic started, this sector has been affected heavily and is still facing prolonged slumps. Just as these sectors were beginning to pick up this year, recent clusters have resulted in further rounds of restrictions. Those affected include performance groups, art theatres and even gyms, all of which provide Singaporeans with ways to unwind and de-stress and work on their physical health. I appreciate the various grants the Government has introduced in Budgets 2020 and 2021 to support the arts and sports sectors. I would like to seek an update on how much of these grants have been disbursed thus far. Safe management measures have a sizeable impact on the bottom lines in these sectors, as not all of these activities can be easily moved online.”
“I am glad to know that CCAs will resume soon. While necessary, given the current situation, the schooling experience of our students today is vastly different from what it was pre-COVID-19. Coupled with a more uncertain future, these circumstances may lead to unhealthy pessimism and mental health issues taking root among our students, including recent graduates. Looking back at my educational journey – and, for me, it was not too long ago – I am reminded of the extremely stressful points. We were lucky then in being able to release some of the pressures through social activities, such as going to the movies with friends and meeting extended family members. With the uncertainty of the pandemic, our children have not been able to do the same. I worry about the effects that may result, given that they are already in a stressful educational environment. In recent years, there has been increased awareness surrounding youth mental health, with mental health education being incorporated into the Character and Citizenship Education curriculum from this year and groups formed to raise mental health awareness and stress among youths. These are definitely important steps in the right direction. I hope we can have more conversations on mental health among students, a topic that the President recently raised following the tragic event at River Valley High School. Perhaps, we need to re-evaluate how we approach mental health in our educational institutions, incorporating some activities to deal with the impacts of COVID-19. The Minister for Education has just shared with Members and the public the resources and capacities we have available to support our students and staff and the near-term policies MOE is implementing to address mental health issues.”
“Mdm Deputy Speaker, COVID-19 is an unprecedented crisis. As of today, we have been battling COVID-19 for slightly over one and a half years. Apart from the significant socio-economic challenges faced, COVID-19 has taken an unprecedented toll on our mental health and will continue to do so during our transition to a new normal. In my speech today, I want to focus on the mental health of our students and supporting our arts, entertainment and recreation sectors. The term "COVID-19 fatigue" has become part of our everyday speech. Almost everyone I speak to has experienced mental fatigue and tiredness in coping with the impact of COVID-19. As adults, we feel this acutely, be it in trying to keep businesses afloat, looking after the safety of our families, adjusting to frequent changes in restrictions or the barrage of negative news. But we need to pay closer attention to our younger generation. This pandemic is happening, for them, in their formative years and will shape their perspective on life as they go on to become adults. Students are a group who may be especially vulnerable to the long-lasting mental health toll. I note that the Government also acknowledges the scarring effect that school closures have on learning and that some sense of normalcy is needed for our students. As our schools remain open, I am also glad to know that there are stringent safe management measures being adopted in our schools to prevent school-based COVID-19 transmission. But following these measures can take its toll on students too. Co-curricular activities have sometimes been halted, celebration and orientation activities have been scaled back. Such safe distancing has led to reduced interactions with peers that are so important for the development of social skills.”
“I just have one clarification. I did ask a question about Mother Tongue Language education teachers in the Early Childhood level and the question was "what was the breakdown in the number of MTL preschool educators". The answer was that there was 10,500 for Chinese Language, 2,800 for Malay Language and 700 for Tamil Language. I was just wondering what MOE will be doing to improve our capacities in offering Mother Tongue Languages in schools and increasing the number of teachers available.”
“Lastly, sexual violence is fuelled by misogyny. We all have a responsibility to call out sexism, whether at the workplace or in public transport, and respond to incidents of sexual violence, so that perpetrators are held accountable. Reforming our approach to sexual education has to be done soon and urgently to make Singapore a safe and nurturing place for all.”
“I am glad to know that the Ministry currently requires sexuality education to be taught by specially selected and trained teachers. I hope that we can take it one step further by giving all training teachers at the National Institute of Education greater exposure to sexuality education training. In addition, the teachers' sexuality education training should be frequently updated and refreshed to reflect best practices. Our schools need clear channels of accountability and reporting. These should be widely publicised so that students know whom to turn to for help. Schools should provide the names and contact information of key personnel and helplines, whether of general safe spaces, professional counselling services or ways to seek legal recourse. Mr Speaker, when I think about the sexual violence that occurs on the daily in Singapore, I worry for the safety of our children. No child should be subject to sexual abuse and even one is one too many. We can change this, we have the power to do something that protects and equips them for life and ensures that they do not grow up in a toxic, dangerous environment. The road to combating sexual violence requires a whole-of-Government approach and the close participation and collaboration of multiple agencies, Ministries and even stakeholders outside of the Government. My speech today may have focus on improving sexuality education, but it does not negate our responsibility as citizens to do our part and call out harmful behaviour if we witness it, and to keep an eye on those who may be victims of sexual violence.”
“At this point, one might ask: who should be responsible for reforming sexuality education in Singapore and, in particular, is this the Government's responsibility? Would parents not be the best teachers of sexuality education for their own children? The reality is that parents are uncomfortable talking about sex, much less teaching important concepts relating to it to their children. A survey by AWARE last year found that only 50% of parents surveyed were comfortable talking to their children about sexuality education. Of these parents, one in four felt embarrassed or lack the confidence to do so. Thirty-five percent felt poorly equipped to begin the conversation and 26% worried that discussing sex would encourage their children to have it. Children too may feel uncomfortable learning about sex from their own parents or are unable to navigate such topics due to abusive dynamics at home. Sexuality education is complex and leaving it up to parents to deliver accurate and up-to-date information about STIs, tech-enabled offences and the nuances of consent might be too much to ask. Ensuring a comprehensive sexuality education curriculum, children are receiving the best quality education available. Teachers are especially important in this endeavour. Educators, especially early childhood educators, need to be more proactive in sensing and addressing sexual abuse and assault. This includes being able to spot when students may have faced sexual assault, ensure their safety, handle report sensitively and confidentially, and support students with empathy. Teachers must be trained in facilitation, especially in scenario and discussion-based learning, for sexuality education to be effective.”
“Yet, when we break down how much classroom time is spent on sexuality education, we find that students get just 25 hours of class time on it. That is equivalent to a week of school in a total of 12 years of formal education. Given the lasting harm that sexual crimes cause, we cannot rely on just the law to protect our youths. Our sexuality education needs to equip our youths with the knowledge and tools they need to respect one another, protect themselves and support the people around them, a lifelong journey where schools are key. In addition to extended classroom time, we can put up posters in schools that reinforce key messages like the importance of consent, one's rights under the law, warnings to would-be perpetrators and reminders that resources and channels for safe and medical help are always there for them. Students also need dedicated spaces, channels and access to educators who support students through relationships, emotions and even abuse. These spaces should be non-judgemental and confidential so that our children and youth are willing to talk about their struggles. Although there are not any systemic studies about sexuality education's effectiveness in Singapore, surveys show that some find our current sexuality education programme unrelatable. Our students want teachers to facilitate questions and conversations about sex in a non-judgemental space. They need regular open discussions in which they can ask questions, explore issues, not simply in a passive environment that only happens once or twice a year. These measures will help us effectively provide sexuality education that is safe, open and consistent for every child.”
“If we do not educate our young early in school, where their knowledge of sex comes from a trusted and vetted resource, they will learn their lessons from the Internet, where pornography and other irresponsible or unrealistic depictions of sex are easily accessible. This puts them at risk of developing unhealthy relationships to sex. This may lead them to disregard consent and engage in unacceptable behaviours such as catcalling, harassment at work and even filming other students in toilets. These harms, which are so casually inflicted and systemic, must stop. Tech-enabled offences such as cyberbullying, sharing personal information, taking and distributing obscene photographs, and even voting in polls that sexualise women are wrong and deeply harmful. Social media and the Internet have made platforms like the Nasi Lemak Telegram chat, the recent poll on our asatizahs and forums with obscene material much more accessible today. Our current sexuality education curriculum talks about the moral and legal consequences of risky sexual behaviours in a single class in Secondary 1. This is hardly enough. We need to teach our youths that their actions have far larger repercussions than just legal. We could do this by emphasising real-world conditions that encourage empathy and situational awareness. They need to learn, to understand the suffering caused to victims and also to speak out and seek help when a peer or an adult perpetuates these harms. Secondly, our sexuality education needs to be more sustained and openly taught. Today, Singapore is facing a long overdue reckoning with a scale of sexual harm and trauma that happens in this country.”
“Let us start to do right by our children by creating a standardised sexuality education curriculum for all pre-school operators. Now, let us consider what we teach our youths and what is missing in our existing sexuality education curriculum. First, our sexuality education needs to focus on consent. Consent is key in responsible sexual behaviour. An Association of Women for Action and Research (AWARE) and Ngee Ann Polytechnic survey conducted last year showed that more than half of students surveyed said that they were not taught consent in schools even though all wanted to be taught. It is not enough to simply teach that sex without consent is wrong. Consent is complex and our students must know why it is important and how to navigate it respectfully. When surveyed, our youths expressed trouble identifying consent in situations involving alcohol abuse and conditional consent. Rape myths like how women who drink deserve it or silence means consent worsen this problem. Effective sexuality education must tackle these problems head on. Neither the current Growing Years' sexuality education curriculum nor the eTeens programme get to the root of the problem. Our students need to be taught why consent is key and how people cannot fully give consent in certain scenarios. It is commendable that some tertiary institutions now teach consent explicitly but this must start earlier on in life. Teaching consent also means teaching the differences in power and the abuse of trust and authority. Studies show strong evidence that when sexuality emphasises critical thinking about power and gender, it results in far better outcomes such as reducing unplanned pregnancy and sexually transmitted infection (STI) rates. With the Internet and social media, sexual violence is amplified.”
“While our frontline care-givers must be more proactive in weeding out potential abuse, our children must be taught to recognise the wrongs being done to them. There are four things that we need to teach our children and these include: (a) body safety; (b) when a touch is good or bad; (c) what secrets should be shared with a trusted adult; and (d) how they can get help. Some might feel uncomfortable when introducing the concept of sex to pre-schoolers. As a mother of young children, I share their concerns about making sure that our children are not exposed to sexualised content. But sexuality education is not just about sex. It is about teaching the concepts of normal relationships, boundaries and respect for one another's feelings and bodies. These concepts can be taught in age-appropriate ways. In fact, the Singapore Children's Society does this with their KidzLive booklet, which teaches children sexuality education with a focus on safety, facts and common sense. In Singapore, mandatory sexuality education only starts at Primary 5 with the Growing Years Programme. Whether nationally mandated sexuality education is introduced before then is unclear. In contrast, New Zealand's personal safety programmes start sexuality education for children across the nation at age five. International best practices such as the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization's (UNESCO) technical guidance recommends the same. It is clear that hundreds of minors are hurt by sexual abuse each year. The trauma of sexual violence finds many young victims far too early. If we wait too long to teach our young children about consent, respect and what to do if they ever face sexual assault, we are failing them as the adults they trust.”
“Today, I will focus on the importance of reviewing our sexuality education curriculum. But before I continue with that, I would also like to point out that consent education is equally important for the rest of us – for victims to know that what has happened to them is wrong and that they deserve justice, for bystanders to identify and intervene in risky situations, and for would-be offenders to understand that what they have done is wrong. Looking at the state of sexuality education in Singapore, we need to ask two very important questions: who gets access to sexuality education and how sexuality education is taught? Official statistics from 2017 to 2019 showed that 37% of sexual assault victims were underage. This number is likely to be much higher in reality as many boys and girls may not be aware that they are even victims of sexual assault, much less what they can do about it. Nearly nine out of 10 sexual assault cases involving minors are committed by someone they trust. And of the tiny fraction of kids who do bravely come forward and seek help, approximately 90% of them are dismissed. Perpetrators are, at times, people they trust and incidents of sexual assault are often dismissed as accidents or even displays of affection. Who then can children turn to when they face these horrors? Moreover, we know that early childhood sexual abuse makes people far more likely to be sexually victimised again and many survivors struggle with depression, anxiety and forming healthy, loving relationships later in life. For these reasons, mandatory sexuality education should be extended to young children, one of our most vulnerable groups.”
“Mr Speaker, almost every young woman I have spoken to have been a victim of sexual assault or violence at some point in their lives. Personally, I have experienced men rubbing themselves on me in public trains. Even today, as a Member of Parliament, I regularly get sent inappropriate comments, messages and even lewd photographs. From 2017 to 2019, there were 7,483 victims of sexual assault. To break it down, that is an average of six a day. Half of these victims were 20 years old or younger. These numbers should scare us as we know that the vast majority of sexual assault cases go unreported and that the trauma of sexual assault can last a person for a lifetime. Sexual assault and the sexism that enables it is an epidemic that hurts women and children more than any others. We need to stamp it out in our public spaces, our workplaces, our schools and our homes. So, what should we do? We need to start at the basics with education. While the Government has introduced stiffer penalties for sexual offenders, criminal deterrence is not a silver bullet for this issue. We must get to the root of the problem by building a strong culture of consent in our society. Without a strong consent culture, the criminal justice system alone cannot protect us – women, men and children – from sexual harassment and violence. We know that victims often do not report sexual crimes committed against them because they are afraid they will not be believed, do not wish to re-live the trauma or because they simply do not have enough evidence. Recently, an AWARE Ipsos survey conducted in November last year found that only three in 10 survivors of workplace sexual harassment made official reports about their experiences.”
“Thank you, Speaker. I have two supplementary questions to the answer to my question. Firstly, I would like to ask whether MOE will consider publishing report on complaints of discrimination on an annual basis, in the interest of accountability and raising awareness of MOE's efforts to curb discrimination. Secondly, given the wide age range of students across the different levels in our academic institutes and the confidence these students may have in providing feedback, is there a need for the Ministry to differentiate the procedures according to the different levels of these students?”
“Given that security checks can be conducted by Police officers who are not in uniform, as well as approved persons authorised by LTA in writing, how would commuters be assured that officers who are conducting these security checks are legitimate? How would commuters know if officers are behaving in an appropriate manner? Does the Ministry intend to provide avenues for commuters to seek recourse and remedies should they encounter inappropriate actions taken by these officers? On top of introducing safeguards to minimise the occurrence of such incidents, I hope that the Ministry will also consider conducting public education campaigns so that commuters can be aware of their rights with regard to security screening and frisk searches proposed by this Bill. Mr Speaker, as we seek to expand the search and seizure powers beyond law enforcement officers, we should also ensure that proper and comprehensive training is provided to authorised personnel while ensuring that commuters are aware of the extent of these measures that they can be reasonably subjected to. This would help maintain trust in law enforcement while allowing us to remain vigilant against potential threats to our public transport system. 3.33 pm”
“Obstacles, uneven surfaces and gradients could potentially cause discomfort to disabled cyclists or inadvertently exclude them from using the cycling paths as they may not be able to lift or push their bicycles. Infrastructure should also be designed to be able to accommodate wider, non-standard cycles, such as tricycles, tandems and recumbents. On the expansion of search and seizure powers, while I understand the need for such measures to strengthen the preparedness of our public transport system against security threats, I have several queries for the Minister. My first query relates to the training which will be provided to "approved persons", especially for those who are not Police officers or employees of an Auxiliary Police Force. Could the Minister share more about the training which approved persons will receive before they are authorised to frisk search commuters, if any? More specifically, does the Ministry intend to provide training and introduce guidelines to ensure the appropriateness and proportionality of action taken in relation to the assessed threat level? This could help prevent cases of abuse of authority, which include excessive behaviour, harassment or even sexual assault. Additionally, how would the Ministry minimise the profiling of minorities and marginalised persons which may inadvertently arise in the process of identifying commuters to undergo additional security screening? Such profiling might amount to over-policing and could potentially be damaging to our social fabric. Perhaps the Ministry may consider publishing statistics pertaining to all frisk searches, including information on searches by gender, ethnicity, time, location and also justification. The second query I have relates to public awareness and education.”
“Mr Speaker, my speech will address two areas: improving infrastructure for cyclists and the expansion of search and seizure powers on public transport. The Bill seeks to introduce licensing and certification regimes for users of bicycles and power-assisted bicycles. Given the number of accidents involving cyclists, this could help ensure that cyclists are well-acquainted with the relevant regulations, thereby improving road safety for all users. However, apart from licensing and certification, perhaps we could look into improving road infrastructure as another possible solution. As the Government seeks to promote active mobility amongst the public, it is crucial to ensure that our infrastructure will be able to keep pace with the expected increase in individuals opting for such modes of transport. LTA has already started looking into converting some stretches of roads into cycling paths to tripling the Cycling Path Network by 2030. As part of these efforts, could the Ministry also consider studying the possibility of repurposing car lanes into bike lanes? This could potentially improve connectivity for cyclists while also contributing to road safety. While the Government embarks on projects to improve our infrastructure for cyclists, I hope that the Ministry can also factor in the needs of cyclists who are persons with disabilities to ensure that infrastructure in the pipeline is inclusive. For persons with disabilities, cycling is often a much easier way to get around than walking and it is estimated that about 40% of disabled cyclists use regular two-wheeled bicycles. Thus, while their disabilities may be invisible to some, research has shown that people with disabilities have a disproportionately higher need for protected cycling infrastructure and direct routes.”