MOLESTATION AND RAPE CASES

Column No : 1241

MOLESTATION AND RAPE CASES: 1.

Mdm Cynthia Phua asked the Minister for Home Affairs with regard to recent reports in the Straits Times on molestation and rape cases, (a) how many of these cases were victims who are known to the culprits; (b) what are the measures taken to reduce these incidents; and (c) are there any public education programmes in the schools, as many victims were very young teenage girls.

The Senior Minister of State for Home Affairs (Assoc. Prof. Ho Peng Kee) (for the Minister for Home Affairs): Mr Speaker, Sir, Madam Cynthia Phua asked for the number of rape and molestation cases where the perpetrators were known to their victims. For the period 2000 to June 2004, the perpetrator was known to or acquainted with the victim in 9 out of 10 reported cases of rape. For the same period, 3 out of 10 reported cases of outrage of modesty were committed by persons known to the victims.

To deter would-be perpetrators, the Police conducts patrols at entertainment nightspots and their vicinity to maintain a visible presence. The Police works closely with residents, grassroots organisations and other agencies to enhance the safety in the neighbourhoods. These initiatives, under the Community Safety and Security Programme or CSSP framework, include fixing additional lighting to brighten public places at night, setting up neighbourhood watch groups, organising joint patrols and house visits involving Police and residents and holding talks and exhibitions.

The Ministry of Education (MOE) and the Police have been educating students that they too have a part to play in preventing molest and rape. Schools conduct public education programmes to educate our young on personal safety and prevention of sexual abuse. These are comprehensively covered in subjects such as Civics and Moral Education, Social Studies, and Health Education. Police complements MOE's efforts by conducting school assembly talks to educate students on what they can do to prevent themselves from falling victim to rape and molest. So far, 99 such talks have been conducted this year.

Let me assure the House that we view every case seriously. Whilst Police will continue to maintain its presence to deter potential perpetrators and take the necessary enforcement actions, members of the public can also help by taking an active role in ensuring their own personal safety as well as of those around them.

Mdm Cynthia Phua (Aljunied): Sir, I would like to ask the Minister how come an American, Jack West, 58 years old, who is a sex offender, was able to enter Singapore and to teach in schools here and investigations were only instituted after the New Paper reported of his presence in Singapore.

Secondly, should the sponsors of a work pass applicant be made accountable and asked to undertake the due diligence checks before recommending him to the Ministry for processing?

Assoc. Prof. Ho Peng Kee: Sir, for foreigners who come to work in Singapore, we do not carry out checks with their home countries whether they have got criminal records. As to whether the Ministry of Manpower could carry out such checks, I think a balance has to be struck. In answer to a question from Ms Irene Ng on the need for checks to be done on employees, I said that we have to maintain a balance. There are certain professions which, because of sensitivity, for example, if you work in a security area, checks need to be done, but not so in this case.

Mdm Cynthia Phua: Sir, since many of these victims are very young girls, should not our schools be more secure in the sense that either the Ministry of Law or the Ministry of Home Affairs as well as the Ministry of Education should check all these work permit applicants before they are employed in Singapore?

Assoc. Prof. Ho Peng Kee: Sir, I think we should separate the issues. In terms of the security of school premises, as Mdm Phua knows, this has been beefed up. In terms of strangers going to schools, whether it is for mischief such as terrorism or even for more down-to-earth matters as disturbing the students, both in terms of possible sexual abuse or even gang activities, the schools have beefed up too. Certainly, for workers working in school premises, the schools can carry out due diligence checks but it will be quite another thing to say that all those who work with the school should also be checked for their background. This may mean rolling back what we are trying to do to help people who have a record but have turned over a new leaf to be able to work productively.

Ms Braema Mathiaparanam (Nominated Member): Sir, can I ask the Minister whether he would consider it a preventive measure, especially when foreigners come in to set up student agencies, etc, to do a background check.

The second question is for those who have been convicted for molest or rape, what kind of rehabilitation programmes are carried out and whether there are repeat offenders amongst them and, if so, what is the rate?

Assoc. Prof. Ho Peng Kee: Sir, the conducting of checks on foreigners coming in to set up agencies involving children is something which is within MOM's purview. I can ask MOM to consider that.

As for the other question, the Prisons Department has got this 3R programme which generally reaches out to prisoners to help them refresh, restrain and exercise responsibility. Whether it is sexual offence or other offences, as the Member knows, the Prisons Department takes this HUMANS approach to try to help the prisoners after they have served an initial period of confinement and they have felt the punishment. For sexual offenders, they are also taken under this wing.

Ms Braema Mathiaparanam: Sir, I was in particular referring to a specialised kind of rehabilitation programme, because there are quite a number of offenders. Is there a need and, if so, would the Ministry consider bringing in some expertise in that regard?

Assoc. Prof. Ho Peng Kee: We can consider that. The Prisons Department is always willing to try new programmes but, like I have said, there is already an outreach to them under this general 3R programme.