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Getting A Personal Protection Order

Personal Protection Orders

The most common form of a Protection Order is the Personal Protection Order (PPO).

Under the PPO, the court may make one or both of the following orders:

The offender cannot use family violence against the family member;
The offender cannot incite or assist anyone to commit family violence against the family member

The PPO is granted only after a trial unless the offender consents to the grant of the PPO. Medical reports and police reports can be helpful to obtain a PPO.

Where can you apply for a PPO?

You can apply for a PPO at the Protection Order Services of the Family Court or go to any of the following places to make the complaint through a video-link facility:

PAVE:
Blk 211, Ang Mo Kio Avenue 3
01-1446, Singapore 560211
Tel: 6555 0390
Fax: 6552 5290

SAFE@TRANS
Blk 410 Bedok North Avenue 2
#01-58
Singapore 460410
Tel: 6449 9088

Care Corner Project StART
Blk 7A Commonwealth Avenue, #01-672, Singapore 141007
Tel 6476 1482

What forms of legal protection are available other than the PPO?

Expedited Order

- This is an urgent PPO made before the trial.
- It is granted if there is imminent danger of physical injury to any family member.
- EO is valid only for 28 days or when the trial begins whichever occurs earlier.

Domestic Exclusion Order

- That the offender leaves the home
- That the offender be prohibited from entering the home or some portion of the home
- That the applicant be permitted to enter and remain in the home.

This order is made only in exceptional circumstances, usually after a PPO has been disobeyed.
The DEO only restricts the right of the offender to occupy the home; it does not affect his/her ownership of the house.

What if the PPO/EO/DEO is disobeyed?

You should call or go to the police immediately.
The police will then investigate whether to charge the offender for breach of order.
Breach of order is a criminal offence that is punishable by a fine of up to $ 2000 for a first conviction or imprisonment for a term of up to six months or both.
In the case of a second or subsequent conviction, the offender can be fined up to $ 5,000 or imprisoned for a term not exceeding 12 months, or to both.

Penal Code Offences

A person who is hurt by someone who is not their family member (for example, an intimate partner who is not a spouse) may report the offence to the police or take out a private summons against the offender.
Where the injuries are minor, the relevant offence is that of Hurt. The applicable punishment is imprisonment up to 2 years and fine up to $5,000.
Where the injuries are major (e.g. involving broken bones, loss of sight, hearing or limb), the relevant offence is that of Grievious Hurt. The applicable punishment is imprisonment up to 10 years, fine or caning.
In the case of Grievous Hurt, the police may arrest and charge the offender.

Getting a Lawyer for Legal Protection

You do not need a lawyer to obtain a PPO or to take out a private summons for the offence of Hurt although this may be helpful if you can afford it. The following organisations offer legal clinics where you can get preliminary legal advice:

AWARE (You can call the helpline at 1800 777 5555 to fix an appointment)
Singapore Association of Women Lawyers Pro Bono Legal Consultation Clinics (You need to call to check if you qualify for free legal consultation)
The Law Society of Singapore (You need to register for making an appointment)
You can check with your neighbourhood Community Center. They may be holding regular legal clinics.

Click on these links for more information

Dealing with family violence
What is family violence?
What can I do if Im facing family violence?
Making a Safety Plan
How to help a friend/relative/neighbour facing family violence

CEDAW 101 Workshop

The United Nations’ Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) is often described as an international bill of rights for women.

It is ratified by 185 countries. Singapore became party to CEDAW in October 1995.

CEDAW is based on 3 core inter-related principles:
   principle of equality
   principle of non-discrimination
   principle of State obligation

These principles provide the framework for formulating strategies to advance the human rights of women.

AWARE will be conducting a three-hour workshop for people working on women-related issues in Singapore. This workshop aims to raise awareness about CEDAW, and how it can be used as a tool to advocate for womens rights in Singapore.

When: 16 Aug 2011

Time: 7pm-10pm

Nominal Fee:

Non-member: $10

Member: $5

Speaker: Ms Braema Mathi, who heads AWARE’s CEDAW Sub-Committee

Ms Mathi joined AWARE in 1992 and served two consecutive terms as the President of the association. As AWARE’s Honorary Research & Advocacy Director, she reviews AWARE’s research and advocacy priorities, and identifies key areas to focus on in the short and long term.

From 2005 to 2007, she led an AWARE team that researched and advocated for extra-territorial jurisdiction for Singaporeans who had committed sexual crimes on minors in other countries. As a Straits Times journalist and as a founder of migrant advocacy group Transient Workers Count Too, she has brought attention to the issue of human trafficking.

Ms Mathi served as Nominated Member of Parliament from 2001 to 2004. She is also the founder of MARUAH (Working Group for an ASEAN Human Rights Mechanism, Singapore). She is involved in international multi-level platforms, advocating through the human rights instruments of CEDAW, ASEAN and the United Nations’ Universal Periodic Review.

Click here to register.

Email Nadzirah at advocacy@aware.org.sg for more information.

For more information about CEDAW, click here or email advocacy@aware.org.sg

Womens groups from South Korea and Macau visit

By Kylie Goh

In April, AWARE welcomed visitors from two overseas womens organisations – South Koreas Womenlink and Macaos Womens Commission. The purpose of their visits: To learn more about AWAREs activities as Singapores leading gender equality advocacy group.

On April 11, a delegation from the South Korean Womenlink Sexual Violence Counseling Center dropped in at the AWARE Centre. The delegation comprised centre director Lee Yim Hae-Kyung, activists Jung Ha Kyung-Ju and Choi Kim Hana, and interpreter Lily Elliott.

Established in 1978, Womenlink is a non-government organisation that has spoken up on issues such as workplace sexual harassment, prostitution and other forms of discrimination against women.

Topics such as gender equality in the workplace as well as support services for sexual assault victims and survivors were keenly discussed, and the progress of gender equality in both countries was compared.

For example, on the issue of workplace sexual harassment, South Koreas Gender Equal Employment Act penalises the perpetrator as well as the company if the latter fails to address the issue or complaint adequately. In comparison, women in Singapore have no such protection.

Furthermore, no police report is needed in South Korea for a sexual assault victim to obtain a rape kit, which enables forensic evidence to be collected against the perpetrator. In comparison, a police report has to be filed in Singapore before a rape kit can be obtained, which in many cases may hamper victims from proceeding with the rape kit.

Like South Korea, there is also no need for a police report in Macau before a rape kit can be obtained. There are also rape crisis centres where victims can go for help. This was shared by the Delegation of Macao SAR Government Womens Commission, which visited AWARE on April 13. The delegation comprised 33 officials from the Macao SAR government as well as representatives from Macaos leading womens rights organisations. These included the Womens General Association of Macao, Macao Women Civil Servants Association and the Fukien Women’s Association of Macao.

The Macao delegates were interested in learning about AWAREs Support Services and Research & Advocacy initiatives, and expressed their desire to have an independent organisation like AWARE in Macao that was able to provide both research and support services. Currently, they feel that their voices are diffused and dependent on the government.

Financial Awareness & Confidence Training 2: Insurance

When the topic of insurance comes up, people often either cringe or avoid the discussion altogether because it is perceived as huge long-term financial expense. For women who lack the knowledge or interest, insurance is considered a heavy topic and usually left to their male partners.

However, as the primary objective of insurance is to provide for your protection, it is important that whatever insurance you already have or are going to get is tailored to your specific needs. These needs will change as you enter different stages of your life and as your personal goals evolve.

As part of our empowerment training , we are pleased to offer FACT 2 on Insurance. FACT is short for Financial Awareness & Confidence Training.

This course aims to give you a fundamental understanding of how insurance works and how you can protect yourself and your assets with the right tools. You will walk away from this programme with all the knowledge and skills you need to assess your changing insurance needs.

The course consists of 3 interactive sessions that comprise both lectures and discussions. Topics covered will include:
1)    Is insurance necessary?
2)    How does insurance work?
3)    What role does it play in my financial plan?
4)    How much insurance and what type of insurance do I need?
5)    Where and how do I get the insurance I want?

The trainer is Sim Wei Min, who has spent more than 15 years assisting people from all walks of life with their insurance needs and retirement planning.

When:
Training Date: 19 June 2012

Money Club Sessions:
26 June 2012
3 July 2012

Time: 7pm-9pm

Where: AWARE Centre

Price:
Single: $150
Pair: $240

AWARE members who log in at the website and purchase will receive a discount. That is just $100 for the workshop or $150 for a pair.

Quotes from participants:
Layman terms; insider tips.
Interactive and laid back.
Easy to understand, clear explanations.
The open communication about the topic.
It was great. Very informative for all types of insurance.
I like the case studies because it makes us think of the best policies that different individual should get.

AWARE’s Annual Regular Membership is just $40. Click here to become a member.

Please send us an e-mail to publiceducation@aware.org.sg if you have any questions.

Other FACT modules:

FACT 1: Money & Me (Personal Financial Management)

FACT 2: Growing My Money (Investments)

Go to Women and Money or call 6779-7137 for more information.

Financial Awareness & Confidence Training 1: Money & Me

The main focus of this course is on achieving and maintaining financial independence.

What does this mean and how do you achieve it at the different stages of your life?

This workshop will teach you the following:

·How to achieve financial independence

·Fun with budgeting

·Making your money stretch

·Managing debt

·Relationships and money- joint or separate expenses, accounts, assets? What happens if things don’t work out?

·Estate Planning – Wills, Lasting Power of Attorney and Advanced Medical Directives

Learn to take charge of your personal finances and make informed choices to achieve financial freedom.

You should definitely attend this workshop if you identify with these concerns:

·I have been working for 3 years and Im kinda clueless about saving and planning for the future. What do I need to know and do?

·I am married or about to be married. Money is always a sensitive topic with my partner. How do I deal with this?

·I am worried about my aging parents, their falling sick and dying. How can I plan ahead to take care of these contingencies?

Training Date: 22 Aug 2012

Money Club Dates:
29 Aug 2012
5 Sep 2012

Where:
AWARE Centre (Dover Crescent Block 5 #01-22)

Time: 7pm-9pm

How much?
Single: $50
Pair: $80

AWARE members who log in at the website and purchase will receive a 40% discount. That is just $30 for the workshop or $48 for a pair.

Please send us an e-mail to publiceducation@aware.org.sg if you have any questions.

Other FACT modules:

Protecting Myself & My Family (Insurance)

Growing My Money (Investments)

Go to Women & Money or call 6779-7137 for more information.

Time Management Mastery Workshop

Are any of these situations familiar to you?

   You throw yourself from solving one crisis to another
   Your to-do list never gets done
   You feel under pressure with tight deadlines and no time to do anything properly
   You spend too much time on social networks
   You struggle to balance work, family life, and your personal well-being
   You are overwhelmed with life and have no time to enjoy things

If the answer is yes, please pause for a moment…

   Do you really have to do so much right now?
   Who decides your timelines?
   What will happen if you took more time to do certain things?
   Who won the race the tortoise or the hare?

This workshop offers solutions on how to manage your time, and maintain a high level of productivity simultaneously.

Workshop Highlights:

1. The Wheel of Life
a. Importance: Career, Money, Health, Friends & Family, Relationships, Fun & Recreation, Personal Growth & Spirituality / Community / Personal Space? How much time do you allocate for each area?
b. Quality of Life? Is your life balanced?

2.   Setting SMART Goals & allocating time for each of them
a.   Parkinsons law
b.   Focus & total immersion principle

3.   Planning and the art of prioritisation
a.   Pareto law the 80/20 rule
b.   Can the task be eliminated or delegated?
c.   Procrastination reasons and ways to overcome it

4.   Recognising interferences
a.   Dealing with emails and phone calls
b.   Handling requests and interferences from bosses, colleagues, friends and family

At the end of the workshop, participants will know that time management is a personal choice. We can use the tools to organise our lives and set the schedules. We can adopt the perspective that time is unlimited. We can choose to believe that we control time, and leave the rushing behind.

When: 12 November 2011

Time: 9:30am-12:30pm

Where: AWARE Centre (Dover Crescent Block 5 #01-22)

How much:

Individual – $50

Pair- $80

AWARE members who log in at the website and purchase will receive a 40% discount. That is just $30 for the workshop or $48 for a pair.

About the trainer:
Maria Kassova is the founder and Managing Director of RoseSky Pte Ltd. In 2009, she conducted workshops on building self-esteem at Aidha (www.aidha.org), a non-profit organisation for domestic workers dedicated to enriching lives through financial education. Following her experience there, Maria decided to use her energy and skills to help others nurture their self-esteem and live empowered and fulfilled lives.

A certified Business Coach by the Institute of Business Coaches, UK and a master practitioner in Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP), Maria also holds an MBA and a BA in International Economic Relations. The daughter of a Bulgaria diplomat, she has over 10 years of experience working for MNCs like BBC Worldwide and Discovery Communications International.

For more information, contact Pam at publiceducation@aware.org.sg or call 6779-7137.

Faith & Gender Roles – A Special Roundtable Discussion

Note: Because the elections are being held on May 7, this event has been postponed to May 21.

Jointly organised by South East Community Development Council (SECDC) and AWARE, this half-day exploratory session is part of SECDC’s Monthly Inter-faith Dialogue Series that strives to create a space for participants to reflect and talk about what it means to be a member of a certain gender in a faith-based context.

What does your faith say about womens roles? How have women been portrayed in your faith? To what extent does faith help or erode gender equality? Can gender equality be reconciled with the values and beliefs of different faiths?

When: 21st May 2011

Time: 9:00 am- 1:30 pm

Where: AWARE Centre (map)

Nominal Fee: $5.00

Programme:

09:00 am Registration and Breakfast

09:30 am Welcome and Introduction

09:40 am Panel Discussion

Speakers:

Ms Angie Chew Monksfield (Buddhist), Sister Julia Ong and Ms Amy Daniel (Christian), Kathirasan K (Hindu), Mohamad Imran Taib (Muslim) and Jamshed K. Fozdar (Baha’i).

Chair: Ms. Lai Ah Eng

11:05 am Q & A

11:45 am Facilitated breakout sessions (3 groups)

01:00 pm Lunch

Limited to 30 seats only. Register HERE

For more information about the event, email Pam at publiceducation@aware.org.sg or call 6779-7137.

To find out more about SECDC’s Exploration Into Faith Series, visit their website www.eif.com.sg or contact Mr Derrick Ang at 6319-8725.

Profiles:

Angie Monksfield was the President of the Buddhist Fellowship for 4 years from 1997 – 2010 and was a one of the founding members. She is a senior IT professional whose career spanned Accenture, Visa International and Singapore Airlines. She served in the Singapore Computer Society as the Vice President for 6 years from 1995 – 2011.

Sister Julia Ong is an Infant Jesus sister, who is currently the Secretary of the Ecclesia of Women in Asia (EWA). The EWA seeks to develop theology from Asian womens perspectives and recognise Asian Catholic women as equal partners in the life of the Church. Sister Julia is currently an Allied Educator in St Joseph’s Institution working on curriculum development of the religious and moral education programmes. She has a Masters in Education, majoring in Religious Formation.

Amy Daniel Profile

K. Kathirasan is a passionate teacher of Hinduism and a dedicated volunteer under the arm of The Hindu Centre, Singapore. He is highly respected for his spiritual knowledge and discourses on the truths of Hinduism based on Hindu scriptures. He has taught Hinduism to youths, adults and elderly alike for over 12 years. Kathirasan himself has been under the tutelage of Swami Satprakashananda Saraswati for several years since 1999 studying the subject of Traditional Advaita Vedanta (non dualism). His area of interest lies in the areas of philosophy, rituals, and means to spiritual enlightenment. He independently conducts research and writes materials on Hinduism.

Mohamed Imran Mohamed Taib is a social activist with The Reading Group, Singapore, and a postgraduate student at the Department of Malay Studies, NUS. His research focuses on the religious orientation of the Malays and contemporary thought on Islam. He writes and comment frequently on socioreligious and interfaith issues, and an advocate for a progressive interpretation of Islam that includes reconfiguring Muslim views on gender. He has co-edited and published two books: Islam, Religion and Progress (2006) and Moral Vision and Social Critique (2007); and was chief editor of a Malay journal on critical religious thought, Tafkir (2009).

Jamshed K Fozdar was from 1996-1999 honorary secretary on the Inter-Religious Organisation of Singapore. He is also the author of 3 books on comparative religion including the highly-acclaimed “The God of Buddha”. As an engineering consultant Mr. Fozdar was associated with pioneer work on Radio Astronomy and Electron Microscopy at the US National Bureau of Standards, Washington D.C. At the age of 22, Mr. Fozdar was the recipient of the letter of commendation from the late Albert Einstein for his paper on the 4th Dimension. He is a consultant in the field of Telecommunications and a member of the Professional Engineers Board of Singapore. He has also been a member and often Chairperson of Baha’i National administrative bodies in many countries like Singapore, Sri Lanka, Indochina and etc.

Lai Ah Eng is currently senior research fellow at the Asia Research Institute, NUS and she also teaches a module on religions in the contemporary world at the University Scholars Programme, NUS. A social anthropolgist by training, she works on issues related to multiculturalism, religion, migration and gender, and has published several major works on these topics. She has also sat on several national committees and subcommittees on various issues related to family, ethnicity and religion. She is a founding and life member of AWARE.

The determined dames of Dagenham

New movie Made In Dagenham highlights how female factory workers fought for equal pay in 1960s Britain.

By Kylie Goh

We remember 1968 as a year of revolutions: The civil rights movement comes to a boil in the United States, political liberalisation in Czechoslovakia blossoms into the Prague Spring, Yale starts admitting female students and the students of Paris stage legendary protests against traditional authority figures. Inspired by all the upheaval, The Beatles release their single Revolution, which goes on to sell six million copies.

To this list of events that shaped the course of history, we must add the 1968 equal-pay revolution that starts in the east London suburb of Dagenham.

It begins like this: 187 female sewing machinists in Ford Motor Company Limiteds Dagenham assembly plant are informed that their jobs have been re-graded as less skilled Category B production jobs. This seems to contradict the fact that their work – putting together car seat covers for Ford automobiles – clearly requires a great deal of skill.

To add insult to injury, these women are also told that they will be paid 15 per cent less than the full Category B wage paid to male workers. The resulting strike by these female workers was a pivotal event that ultimately led to Britains Equal Pay Act in 1970.

The story of how these women fight for equal pay is the subject of the BBC movie Made In Dagenham, which was screened for an audience of 84 people on March 23 by Golden Village. Part of its Blog Aloud series, the event was held at VivoCitys Cinema Europa.

Made In Dagenham certainly took me on a rollercoaster ride of emotions. At times, the troubles faced by the sewing machinists brought me to tears. When they experienced leaps of progress, my heart would sing with optimism.

Equally arresting was the post-movie discussion led by AWARE president Nicole Tan and honorary secretary Lindy Ong, which touched on key aspects of the film and the broader issue of workplace gender equality.

The discussion kicked off with a quick look at the facts, which were not at all encouraging. Singaporean women are paid an average of 72 cents for every dollar earned by men. Less than 7 per cent of Singapores listed companies have a woman on their board of directors. Other aspects of employment, such as attitudes towards women in the workplace and the provision of benefits to female employees, were also touched on.

As a 19-year-old who has yet to enter the workforce, these facts were not at all reassuring. Part of the joy of work must surely come from being appropriately recognised and rewarded for ones contributions. It seems unfair that as a woman, I could be required to work much harder simply to get an even break.

The concept of equal value was also discussed. Observations included the fact that jobs traditionally undertaken by women, such as childcare providers, are often lower-paying jobs. And even though both spouses incomes are increasingly needed these days to support a family, the practice of regarding the husband as the primary breadwinner while the wife provides supplementary income persists.

We also talked about the F Word and discussed the connotations of it as an unsavoury word. Yes, I’m referring to the word feminist. As a young girl, I grew to identify with the word feminist before I knew the negative connotations associated with it.

It was a shock for me when I proudly announced that I was a feminist only to be met with derision and scorn from acquaintances, and even friends. A feminist is someone who believes in gender equality, which I think is only reasonable. The need to reclaim the original meaning of this word was a sentiment shared by the audience during the discussion.

In Made In Dagenham, we are introduced to Barbara Castle, then Britain’s Minister of Employment. Strong and opinionated, she was one of the most important Labour politicians of the 20th century, and one of the few female politicians of her time.

Yet, much as the presence of a woman in a high position does inspire, it is also important to avoid the easy conclusion that the glass ceiling does not exist. It is also important not to overlook the many personal sacrifices that have to be made in order to reach such a position, sacrifices that many men need not make.

The film is a reminder that much of the gender equality we enjoy today was won by the women and men who came before us. AWARE president Nicole Tan said it best when she remarked: The fight is for the next generation, like the women who fought for us because we have all loved someone who is a woman. It was truly a privilege to witness this dedication towards working for the benefit of the next generation, of my generation.

The writer is an AWARE intern who plans to pursue an undergraduate degree in biology. Made In Dagenham (M18) is now showing in cinemas.

Roundtable Discussion – April

Are you concerned about whats happening around you?

If you have an interest in social and other issues and would like to have your say about them, come to our monthly AWARE Roundtable meetings.

Discussion and debate have always been an important part of AWARE. In gatherings large and small, formal and informal, we have discussed issues and examined policies. The discussions sometimes led to submissions to the authorities or to publications; other times they kept AWARE abreast of current affairs, public policies and social trends.

As AWARE turns 25, we want to make this discussion and debate a regular activity with a more formal structure. A key aim is strengthen AWAREs capacity to identify, understand and respond to a wide range of trends, issues and policies. We are thus launching The AWARE Roundtable, a monthly event open to AWARE members and invited guests.

If you have any queries, please email Pam at publiceducation@aware.org.sg or call AWARE on 6779 7137.

April

7.30pm on April 7th

Beyond managing homelessness
People who are homeless are so for various reasons. Some have made poor choices in life, some are involved with alcohol or drugs, yet others are part of the system of generational poverty in which inadequate life skills are handed down from one generation to the next, resulting in an entire culture of people who do not know how to take advantage of the educational, cultural or employment advantages available to them. Some of the homeless are also those who may have had some education, a job and a place to live, but without a “safety net” of family or friends to help them through a difficult time, found themselves evicted from their homes after they lost their job or had a financial crisis. But whatever the circumstances, homelessness is but the symptom of root problems.

Speaker: Ravi Philemon
Chair: Braema Mathi

Ravi Philemon is a community worker and he identifies himself as a blogivist an activist with a blog. He is a former Chief Editor of The Online Citizen and is a founding member of MARUAH (working group for an ASEAN human rights mechanism, Singapore). He is also the Executive Director of SUN-DAC (an organisation which serves people with disabilities). Ravi has been an advocate for the people who are homeless in Singapore since 2008.

Register here for April’s discussion

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