2020 Archives

Only half of parents are comfortable talking to their kids about sex ed, while most prefer school programmes to focus on consent over abstinence: AWARE-Blackbox survey

This post was originally published as a press release on 1 July 2020.

Parents in Singapore believe that they should bear the primary responsibility of teaching sexuality education to their children—yet at the same time, many lack the tools, comfort level and confidence to do this.

This was a key finding in a new survey by independent research agency Blackbox and gender-equality organisation AWARE, aimed at exploring parents’ views on sex education in Singapore. Blackbox and AWARE surveyed 564 respondents between 13 to 20 January and 10 to 14 February 2020. The result is the first nationally representative survey of parents on sex education conducted in Singapore in over a decade.*

Who should teach sexuality education?

Almost all parents surveyed (95%) agreed that both themselves and their children’s schools have a role to play in sex education. In line with statements made by the Ministry of Education (MOE), most parents believe that the task primarily should fall to them, with almost 70% ranking “parents” as the best persons to give sex education, and 13% ranking “school teachers” as the best. (That said, despite acknowledging the importance of their role, almost one in four parents—24%—admitted to being uninformed about what is taught during sex education in schools.)

Ms Shailey Hingorani, Head of Research and Advocacy at AWARE, pointed out that while parents feel comfortable discussing sexuality, their children might actually perceive a lack of parental support or encouragement on these issues. She cited a 2018 survey AWARE conducted with Ngee Ann Polytechnic of almost 800 young persons (16-25 years old) about their perceptions relating to sexuality. Majority of the young respondents had rarely, or never, discussed sexual topics with their parents.

“Close to 70% believed that their parents were rarely interested in their thoughts on sexual matters, or did not know if their parents were interested,” said Ms Hingorani. “This speaks to a gulf in communication and understanding, which may prevent parents from being able to sufficiently correct misconceptions and share their values with kids.”

Only one in five parents (21%) ranked “religious instructors” among their top three choices for informing their children on topics of sex, sexual health and sexual well-being.

What are parents comfortable discussing?

Parents were asked if they were comfortable discussing the following topics with their children in an age-appropriate manner: (a) sexual health, (b) intimate relationships and (c) sex. The highest percentage of parents were comfortable discussing topics of sexual health (57%) with their children, followed by romantic and intimate relationships (51%), with sex coming in last (49%).

For those uncomfortable discussing these topics, reasons given included embarrassment or a lack of confidence (25%), a lack of the appropriate tools to begin the conversation (35%) and the worry that the discussion would encourage their children to have sex (26%).

“It’s worrying that only around half of parents feel comfortable discussing these core topics with their children,” said Ms Hingorani. “Yet we know that some parents are proactively looking to overcome their embarrassment and pick up the right tools for this important job. At AWARE’s Birds & Bees workshops for parents, we’ve trained around 90 parents to date on effective communication with their children, about these subjects and more.”

She added, “We are also glad to find that almost three-quarters of parents do not associate discussing sex with their children wanting to try it. After all, comprehensive sexuality education, which presents information in a factual rather than moralistic or alarmist manner, has been found to produce the outcomes that most parents desire: Youths start having sex at a later age, have fewer sexual partners, use condoms more consistently and contract sexually transmitted infections less often.”

What should sexuality education cover?

Parents were asked to rank the topics they felt were most important to cover in sex education curriculums. The top ranked were sexual consent and sexual self-protection (both 86%). This was closely followed by sexually transmitted diseases (85%), then birth control and contraceptives (80%), then premarital abstinence (78%).

“We wholeheartedly agree with the survey respondents in the importance of teaching consent, even at a young age,” remarked Ms Hingorani. “We should remember, too, that the concept of consent is so much more than just a black-and-white ‘no means no’. Young people find themselves in real-life dynamics that are complex and nuanced. Effective consent education should take into account these real-life circumstances, which include peer pressure, hormonal changes and assimilated gender norms.”

Ms Hingorani said she hopes that MOE will find this survey informative in designing future sexuality education programmes.

“MOE, rightfully, pays heed to parents’ wishes in its decision-making. The Ministry has already taken some steps in the right direction, tweaking its curriculum to focus less on anachronous and unrealistic concepts such as abstinence. We hope it continues on this path and considers the more pragmatic and fact-driven perspective revealed by this survey—one that reflects a modern society’s values.”

David Black, founder and CEO of Blackbox, agreed on the need for parents and schools to be aligned when it comes to sex education.

“The findings clearly show that modern parents understand that sex education today has various dimensions, and that their children need to get guidance both at home and at school. Social attitudes are always evolving and it’s crucial that parents both understand and feel comfortable with what their children are learning outside the home. This will help them to better shape their own one-on-one conversations without fear of sounding contradictory or out of step.”

* The last national survey on parents’ communication with children about sex education known to the researchers was conducted in 2008-2009.

About AWARE
AWARE is Singapore’s leading women’s rights and gender-equality advocacy group. It works to identify and eliminate gender-based barriers through research, advocacy, education, training and support services. AWARE embraces diversity, respects the individual and the choices she makes in life, and supports her when needed. aware.org.sg

About Blackbox
Blackbox Research is one of Asia’s leading data content specialists, and a fully independent social research agency. Blackbox specialises in data content and provides research and affiliated data-plus communications services for business, governments and non-governmental organisation clients across Asia. In Singapore, Blackbox Research is recognised as the “go-to” agency for community and policy insights, and enjoys a strong reputation as a reliable provider of insights on current issues and topics impacting societies across Southeast Asia. Blackbox also has expanded its reach across the region, covering all markets across Southeast Asia as well as China, India, and the greater East Asia region. blackbox.com.sg

Contact

Chris Koh, Head of Communications, Blackbox Research | +65 9765 4388 | chris@blackbox.com.sg
Kelly Leow, Communications Manager, AWARE | +65 6779 7137 | media@aware.org.sg

Annex

Position Filled: HR Assistant Manager for the Secretariat Department

We are no longer accepting applicants for this role.

AWARE’s Secretariat department is looking for a HR Assistant Manager responsible for coordinating and administering the full spectrum of HR programmes and activities.

AWARE works to promote a society where there is true gender equality—where women and men are valued as individuals free to make informed and responsible choices about their lives. We welcome well-suited individuals who share this same passion and dedication!

Position: HR Assistant Manager
Department: Secretariat
Commitment: Full-time, Monday-Friday
Salary range: $4,170-$5,010
Term: Permanent

Job Description

As an individual contributor, the HR Manager oversees the full spectrum of HR programmes and activities in the HR and admin department. Responsibilities include:

Maintain and recommend HR programmes and policies, processes and sharing of best practices in the non-for-profit environment.
Administer internship programme, including selection and training
Engage and advise Executive Director, management and staff on people relation issues and enquiries.
Manage, oversee and verify employee’s benefits, overtime, allowances and compensation and ensure that AWARE is in compliance with the latest MOM regulations.
Ensure monthly payroll and CPF submission is completed timely and accurately.
Manage income tax matters, work pass applications/renewal/cancellations, etc.
Source, develop, establish, implement and lead organisational training programme activities (e.g. team building, functional trainings).
Initiate, lead and participate in HR projects which align with AWARE’s strategic directions.
Manage AWARE’s data protection as the Data Protection Officer by collaborating with each department’s Assistant Data Protection Officer.
Oversee the maintenance of the AWARE centre, pertaining to facilities maintenance, office supplies and housekeeping.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in HR management
Minimum 6 years of demonstrated experience (preferably a generalist) with some working exposure in not-for-profit organizations
Good knowledge of employment law and legislative requirements
Ability to work independently as a Team Lead for the HR/Admin Department
Proficiency in MS office products MS Word, PowerPoint and Excel; and Google Apps
Good communication and interpersonal skills
Strong analytical, problem-solving skills

Read our privacy policy here.

Please note that due to the large number of applications, only shortlisted applicants will be contacted for an interview. If you have any questions about this position, please email careers@aware.org.sg.

16 July, 23 July, 30 July 2020: Birds & Bees, A Workshop for Parents About Sex Education

Important: This workshop will be held online via Zoom. It will be a set of three sessions. Participants are required to attend all three sessions.

“This was valuable… it made me reflect on my own values regarding sex and what I may project onto my children.”

“It opens up our inhibitions and gives us real opportunities to put [our thoughts into] words.”

“Often boys are let off the hook, but I think they should be mindful and learn about boundaries, especially in this day and age when lines are blurred and there’s so much to access online.”

“Can they do this in school for our children?”

– Previous Birds & Bees workshop attendees

Most parents believe that it is important to talk to their children about sex, but many are uncertain how to do it. But what happens when you keep putting it off until the children are “older”? Where do your children get answers to questions they can’t ask you? (The internet is one such place, and young people say they are most likely to ask peers and romantic partners.)

Birds & Bees is an experiential workshop for parents, developed by parents, to explore what works for you when talking to your child about romantic relationships and sex. A variety of formats will be used, including opportunities for dialogue, discussion and reflection

Most parents want to be an “ask-able” parent: to be the approachable adult who is open to questions and who their child turns to for answers. Attend this workshop to explore how you can work on developing your own strategies to enhance the trust and bond with your child!

All parents would find the content useful and applicable. For this online workshop, we are giving priority to parents of children aged 10-15 so that the discussions can be more age-targeted.

Places are limited so do sign up quickly!

Date: Thursdays – 16 July, 23 July, 30 July (Participants are expected to attend all three sessions)

Time: 8.00-9.30pm (1.5 hours)

Workshop Fee: $15 (in total, covering all three sessions)

Survey: After you sign up, you will be asked to complete a short pre-workshop survey about the age(s) and number of your children. This is very important so that parents with children of similar ages can be grouped together to that you will get the most out of the workshop.

Special instructions for online workshop: As small-group discussions will be a big part of the workshop, participants are expected to switch on their video as well as audio whenever possible, and to join in the discussions for maximum benefit.

Refunds and cancellations: Unfortunately we will not be offering refunds. You are expected to attend all three session of the online workshop. In exceptional circumstances, if you are unable to attend the subsequent sessions, you will be able to join the next set of workshops if you write in to publiceducation@aware.org.sg in advance giving your reasons.

Register here.

Legislate right to request flexible work arrangements

This letter was originally published in The Straits Times on 27 June 2020

In our research on the conflict between caregiving and work, the Association of Women for Action and Research has repeatedly asserted the importance of flexible work arrangements (FWAs).

We agree with Dr Petty Pin Yu Chen that FWAs have the potential to close the gender pay gap, which starts to widen in the late 30s when women typically have children (Flexible work arrangements can help narrow gender pay gap, June 24).

The widespread adoption of FWAs can help close a related gap – the retirement savings gap.

Even women without children may experience a “caregiver penalty” when they start caring for an older person, usually in their mid-50s. Much like mothers, these women will either fully or partially withdraw from the labour force and face systemic disadvantages in pay, benefits and perceived commitment to work.

FWAs can be designed to minimise conflict between caregiving and work responsibilities. Yet, their mere availability is not enough.

The Government should legislate a right to request FWAs which employers can turn down only on the basis of business-related reasons defined in legislation.

This right should be extended to all employees, including those on part-time contracts. Extending FWAs to only some employees – for example, mothers – runs the risk of them being resented by their colleagues for having an additional benefit.

Research shows that supportive work policies will not achieve the desired results by themselves if organisations continue to use face time as a proxy for productivity, and lack sufficient trust in their employees to use FWAs responsibly.

A legislated right would also mean establishing formalised human resource processes to evaluate and grant FWAs.

Currently, the choice to stay in or out of the workforce often hinges on employees’ ability to balance work and caregiving responsibilities in a world where work and caregiving are fundamentally incompatible.

Astute legislation of FWAs will help to eliminate this unfair choice.

Shailey Hingorani

Head of Research and Advocacy

AWARE

Gender Equality Manifesto: The Time For Gender Equality Is Now

The most recent Global Gender Gap Report estimates that gender parity will not be obtained for more than a century. Yet the government has the power and the responsibility to create meaningful change and achieve substantive gender equality at home and work.

We have outlined six principles and accompanying policy ideas that we believe will bring us closer to an equal, fair and just world.

We urge all policy-makers and politicians to commit to the following actions:

1. Eradicate discrimination

End all forms of discrimination based on gender, sexual orientation, age, nationality, disability, race, religion, HIV and health status, marital status, employment status, pregnancy and family caregiving.

Policy:

Enact a comprehensive anti-discrimination legislation that prohibits discrimination in housing, employment, education and all other aspects of life.

2. Ensure decent work for all

Ensure all women, including domestic workers and sex workers, have access to decent work. Equalise pay between genders, and ensure financial security in retirement for all women.

Policies:

Enact a legislation that gives every employee the right to employment free of harassment, including sexual harassment and bullying
Introduce substantive labour protections for all casual workers not covered by the Employment Act
Enact legislation to give all employees the right to request flexible work arrangements that can only be denied by employers for business-related reasons
Amend the Tripartite Guidelines on Wrongful Dismissals to more clearly define poor performance, misconduct, and retrenchment
Ensure the right for employees to return to the same job after maternity or unpaid caregiving leave
Extend the Progressive Wage Model to all sectors with low-wage workers

3. End violence against women

End all forms of violence and harmful practices against women and girls, regardless of gender identity and sexual orientation.

Policies:

Provide comprehensive gender and sexuality education at all educational levels. Include sections on consent, respect, healthy relationships, boundaries and sexual orientation.
Introduce a national code on sexual harassment that sets out duties of institutes of higher learning, provides victim-care support, and sets out standards and principles for investigation and management
Set-up an e-safety commission to expedite take-down orders for technology facilitated sexual assault
Introduce a statutory, positive definition of “consent” for sexual activities

4. Financially compensate and equally distribute unpaid domestic and caregiving work within families

Policies:

Introduce a Caregivers’ Support Grant that subsidises out-of-pocket caregiving expenses and helps build retirement adequacy of caregivers
Introduce paid family care leave for caregivers providing care to older relatives, similar to paid childcare leave
Make CareShield Life premiums gender-neutral

5. Treat all parents equally regardless of marital status and citizenship status

Policies:

Allow unwed mothers to form a family nucleus with their child when applying for HDB housing, instead of approving grant applications on a case-by-case basis
Lower the age of eligibility for public rental housing to 18 years, from 21
Lengthen tenancy periods of rental housing and Interim Rental Housing for as long as necessary for single parents and their children to find stable housing without the threat of eviction
Empower HDB to enforce court orders to sell or transfer matrimonial flats upon divorce
Grant Long Term Visit Pass-Plus to all foreign spouses of citizens. Create a clear, timed process for these foreign spouses to obtain permanent resident status

6. Better support low-income households to meet basic needs

Policies:

Allow all lower-income households to access government-subsidised childcare for free
Enhance support to ComCare recipients who find employment, by (i) extending ComCare payment for 12 months upon employment, (ii) introducing a “retention bonus” for job stability, and (iii) introducing a savings-match scheme to help build cash savings and incentivise saving
Enhance Workfare Income Supplement (WIS) for low-income persons by: (i) reducing the WIS age requirement, and (ii) reducing the barriers for SEPs to be eligible for WIS
Incentivise employers of shift workers to adopt flexi-shift or stable and core scheduling to accommodate caregiving schedules.

Download the Gender Manifesto as a PDF here.

AWARE Helpline saw record calls in May, with 137% increase in family violence and 436% increase in emotional and psychological distress over 2019

This post was originally published as a press release on 25 June 2020.

25 June 2020 – Gender-equality group AWARE received a total of 752 calls (including messages, online chats, emails and referrals) to its Helplines in May 2020.

This set a new all-time call record for the organisation, which has been supporting women in distress via a Helpline since 1991. It broke the previous record set in March 2020 of 641 calls.* (April 2020 saw a total of 596 calls.)

Calls pertaining primarily to family violence continued to be unusually high. In May 2020, AWARE received 180 calls pertaining to family violence, a 137% increase (adjusted) over family violence calls in May 2019.**

Family violence is defined by AWARE as violent, threatening, coercive or controlling behaviour that occurs in current or former family, domestic or intimate relationships. It encompasses physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional and psychological abuse, economic control, social isolation and any other behaviour that may cause a person to live in fear.

Calls pertaining primarily to emotional and psychological distress were also high, with 150 such calls received in May 2020. This represents a 436% increase (adjusted) of such calls over May 2019.

“These statistics are worrying, but not surprising,” said AWARE Executive Director Corinna Lim. “They confirm our fears—based on international observations of this crisis and previous ones—that social-distancing measures designed to curb a virus ironically enclose many women in potentially life-threatening circumstances. Even if women are not experiencing violence, they are seriously struggling to cope with the strain of surviving the pandemic. Families are living under great stress and require more support during this time.

“As Singapore eases out of the circuit breaker, we brace ourselves for possibly even more calls, as isolated women are granted more opportunities to leave their homes and seek help.”

AWARE has taken steps to expand its service capacity during the COVID-19 outbreak. These include growing staff strength, expanding the number of phone lines at the Women’s Helpline and launching a new online chat service, whereby women who are unable to speak on the phone can receive support and information from the Helpline team. The service received 43 chat appointments in May after launching on 8 May, and completed 26. Of these 26 successful chats, 18 pertained to family violence.

* Earlier, AWARE released a preliminary call total for March 2020 (619). Updated information from AWARE’s Helpline puts the total March 2020 calls at 641.

** The adjusted figure takes into account AWARE’s expansion of Helpline services in May 2020. This makes the data from 2019 and 2020 comparable, and more accurately reflects the increase in occurrence of violence and distress in 2020.

ANNEX

Selected May 2020 Helpline Calls

Farah* and her husband have been married for decades. Her husband belittles her frequently. He is financially abusive: He doesn’t give her any money, and has cancelled all her cards. He has also refused to let Farah work. As a result, Farah is totally dependent on her children for money, which makes her anxious and unhappy. She is looking for legal advice about her financial rights and divorce.

Mei* contacted AWARE for information about applying for a Personal Protection Order against her father, whom she lives with, and who has been physically abusive since her childhood. During a recent disagreement, he smashed an object against her head. Mei receives no emotional support from friends or other members of the family

Vani* was assaulted by her brother, whom she lives with, during a recent conversation. She had to seek medical help for the injuries she suffered. Although the assault was reported to the police, her mother convinced her not to pursue the case further in any official capacity. Vani is considering moving to a relative’s house to escape her brother’s abuse.

*Names changed to protect callers’ identities

Position Filled: CARE Administrative Executive (Full-Time)

We are no longer accepting applicants for this role.

AWARE’s CARE department is looking for a full-time executive who can help with day-to-day operational and administrative functions for the Women’s Care Centre. This will be a paid contract position until end of the year 2020.

Position: Admin Executive, CARE Department
Commitment: Full-time (10am – 7pm, five days weekly)
Salary Range: $2,410 – $3,710
Application deadline: 30 June 2020