WOMEN'S CHARTER

Column: 455

WOMEN'S CHARTER: **

(Protection for foreign wives of Singaporean men): **

47.

Dr Fatimah Lateef asked the Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports (a) under the Women's Charter, what kind of protection is offered to foreign wives of Singaporean men; and (b) in the last three years, how many complaints had been received from such wives whose ex-husbands are not paying their monthly maintenance.

Dr Vivian Balakrishnan: The Women's Charter provides protection for all married women in Singapore. The Women's Charter does not draw a distinction between Singaporean and foreign wives, hence, foreign wives of Singaporean men will receive this protection too.

Under the Women's Charter, the Court can issue Personal Protection Orders to wives to restrain their husbands from using violence against them, or to exclude their husbands from the shared residence if there is risk of violence. The Court can also mandate perpetrators of family violence to attend counselling. A woman can approach a social worker in any of the Family Service Centres or hospitals, the Police, or the Court to seek such help.

MCYS has also set up support services under the National Family Violence Networking System for women in situations of family violence to seek help. These include hotline services, crisis shelters providing temporary accommodation, counselling services, translation services and other practical assistance.

The Women's Charter allows any woman, including foreign wives, to apply for a maintenance order at the Family Court, if she cannot get a reasonable maintenance from her husband or ex-husband.

From 2005 to 2007, there were around 60 applications a year (1) for enforcement of maintenance orders by wives and ex-wives from foreign countries.

(1) 62 in 2007, 61 in 2006, and 65 in 2005.