Comms Executive

Image-based sexual abuse featured in 1 in 2 cases of technology-facilitated sexual violence seen by AWARE in 2021

This post was originally published as a press release on 20 April 2022.

* Correction notice, 6 Dec 2022: When our analysis was performed in early 2022, our system had not captured the full range of TFSV cases seen by SACC. This error affected our 2019, 2020 and 2021 TFSV data. We have since amended all three posts accordingly. We sincerely apologise for the errors.

Half of the cases of technology-facilitated sexual violence seen by AWARE’s Sexual Assault Care Centre (SACC) in 2021 involved image-based sexual abuse (IBSA).

The gender-equality group today released its annual analysis of technology-facilitated sexual violence (TFSV) cases.

TFSV is unwanted sexual behaviour carried out via digital technology, such as digital cameras, social media, messaging platforms and dating and ride-hailing apps. IBSA, meanwhile, is an umbrella term for various behaviours involving sexual, nude or intimate images or videos of another person. AWARE identifies five types of IBSA: the non-consensual creation or obtainment of sexual images (including sexual voyeurism); the non-consensual distribution of sexual images (including so-called “revenge porn”); the forced viewing of sexual images (including dick pics); sextortion; and others.

In total, AWARE’s SACC saw 227 new cases of TFSV in 2021—an increase from 2020 (in which SACC saw 191 new TFSV cases). TFSV cases made up more than 1 in 4 (27%) cases at SACC in 2021. SACC saw an overall decrease in new cases last year (856 new cases), after an all-time high in 2020 (967 new cases) led the centre to modify its service model to more efficiently manage cases via triaging and referral.

“The pace at which sexual violence evolves and adapts to new technologies, platforms and social contexts makes it hard for researchers and support service-providers alike to keep up,” said Shailey Hingorani, AWARE’s Head of Research and Advocacy. “Who would have guessed, even a decade ago, that image-based sexual abuse would be both so diversified and so ubiquitous? We have a long and confounding journey ahead of us, fighting this.”

Of the 227 TFSV cases in 2021, the perpetrator was someone known to the survivor in 189 cases (the remaining 38 comprising cases involving strangers or cases in which perpetrator identity was not disclosed to SACC). The highest reported categories of perpetrators in 2021 were intimate partners, current or former (57 cases, or 30% of cases where perpetrator identity was disclosed); as well as acquaintances* (57 cases, or 30%), followed by dating app contacts (32 cases, or 17%). Other categories of perpetrator included family members, friends and contacts from the workplace.

Where the age of the victim-survivor was disclosed to SACC, the highest number of cases fell into the 18-24 years age group in 2021 (39%), followed by the 25-34 years group (34%), under-18 years (13%) and 35-44 years (12%). A small percentage of victims were above 45.

Almost a quarter of cases in 2021 took place via messaging platforms such as Telegram and WhatsApp, an increase in percentage from previous years. Other online spaces where TFSV took place include social media, video streaming sites, porn sites and online forums.

“We are not surprised that perpetrators find messaging to be an attractive medium for TFSV, given that the end-to-end encryption made possible on messaging platforms prevents law enforcement, and the platforms themselves, from viewing the content of messages,” noted Ms Hingorani. “Advocates have been sounding the alarm recently about how direct messages, or DMs, facilitate online abuse. The Center for Countering Digital Hate, for example, released its ‘Hidden Hate’ report on Instagram DMs in early April.”

Few TFSV clients known to SACC sought assistance from the platforms, i.e. by making reports and requesting the removal of images or the suspension of offending accounts. Reasons for the low reporting rate are unclear, though this is in line with observations in previous years.

On a positive note, Ms Hingorani cited recent initiatives to address TFSV, such as the Alliance for Action on tackling online harms, which recently released a survey on the issue, as well as the victim support centre for online harms that will be set up by Singapore Her Empowerment (SHE), a new organisation announced earlier this month.

“We have been glad to see a rise in efforts to address technology-facilitated sexual violence in Singapore,” she added. “We are particularly impressed by the leadership shown by the government to introduce new codes of practice requiring platforms to put in place systems to ensure a safer online environment. Although many big technology companies have community standards to moderate content on their sites, these new codes of practice will hopefully streamline their obligations such that a minimum level of safety is assured on all platforms. Ideally, the new codes of practice will apply to a broad range of companies, not just big tech companies—as has been the regulatory approach in some other jurisdictions.”

* “Acquaintance” is defined as a pre-existing relationship not covered by the other categories. Examples from 2021 include classmate, neighbour, pastor, landlord and social media follower.

Infographics

See previous information on TFSV at SACC here.

Annex I: Definitions

Technology-facilitated sexual violence is unwanted sexual behaviour carried out via digital technology, such as digital cameras, social media and messaging platforms, and dating and ride-hailing apps. While all TFSV cases involve an aspect of technology, the abuse sometimes occurs in offline spaces too, and can take the form of physical or verbal sexual harassment, rape, sexual assault, stalking, public humiliation or intimidation. TFSV behaviours range from explicit sexual messages and calls, and coercive sex-based communications, to image-based sexual abuse.

Image-based sexual abuse is an umbrella term for various behaviours involving sexual, nude or intimate images or videos of another person. AWARE identifies five types:

The non-consensual creation or obtainment of sexual images: including sexual voyeurism acts such as upskirting, hacking into a victim’s device to retrieve such images, and/or the creation of such images via deepfake technology
The non-consensual distribution of sexual images: sometimes known colloquially as “revenge porn”, whereby images shared willingly by a partner or ex-partner are then disseminated to others without the subject’s consent
The non-consensual viewing of sexual images: whereby a victim is made to view sexual content, such as pornography or dick pics, unwillingly, e.g. over message or email
Sextortion: whereby sexual images of a victim, obtained with or without consent, are used as leverage to threaten or blackmail that victim, in order to solicit further images and/or sexual practices, money, goods or favours
Others: including the capturing of publicly available, non-sexual images which are then non-consensually distributed in a sexualised context, e.g. with sexual comments and/or on a platform known for sexual content, such as the “SG Nasi Lemak” genre of Telegram group

Annex II: Selected Technology-Facilitated Sexual Violence Cases from 2021

Case A: The client found a hidden camera installed in the area where she worked. She discovered that it contained upskirt videos of herself and another colleague. She expressed concern about reporting this to her company or the police, as she felt uncomfortable about the prospect of other people viewing the videos, and worried about potential professional retaliation (e.g. if the company’s reputation came under fire).

Case B: The client met the perpetrator through an online dating app and agreed to get on a video call with him. During the call, the client suspected that the perpetrator might be impersonating someone as he looked different from photos on the dating app. Though the client was reluctant, the perpetrator insisted that the client undress on the video call, which the client eventually agreed to do. Upon hanging up, however, the perpetrator revealed that he had recorded the video call without the client’s knowledge or consent. He then blackmailed the client by threatening to share the video link on social media if the client did not immediately transfer a sum of money. The client managed to get the video taken down by reporting to the platform hosting it.

Case C: The client found out that her intimate videos, along with her name, had been leaked on multiple websites. She suspected that the perpetrator was her ex-partner, with whom she had consensually shared the videos during their relationship. Although one website took down the videos after she filed a police report, she was unable to remove them from other, international websites. The inclusion of her identity alongside the videos led to the client receiving an influx of follower requests from strangers over social media, which caused her distress. The police were ultimately not able to determine who uploaded the videos.

Case D: During an event hosted on Zoom, the client received sexually explicit chat messages from two participants via the private messaging function. Although she immediately informed the event organiser about the messages, no action was taken against the perpetrators. The client had to leave the event early to avoid further harassment.

Case E: The client found out that a family member of her ex-partner was impersonating her on social media. This family member had obtained the intimate photos and videos that she had shared with her ex-partner during their relationship. The perpetrator had disseminated these on a fake social media account as well as on WhatsApp. He also inititated sexual conversations with other men online in the guise of the client, and gave these men the client’s phone number. As a result, the client received many harassing calls and messages from strangers. She has filed a police report against the perpetrator.

Position Filled: Administrative Executive, Sexual Assault Care Centre

We are no longer accepting applicants for this role.

AWARE’s Sexual Assault Care Centre (SACC) department is looking for an Administrative Executive. SACC is gearing up to assist more survivors of sexual violence over the next three years. As such, we are looking for additional administrative support to ensure that operations run smoothly.

Position: Administrative Executive, Sexual Assault Care Centre
Salary range: SGD$2,700 – 3,000
Term: Two-year contract (renewable)
Starting date: April 2022
Work Schedule: Full-time/Employment Contract

Job Description:

Provide administrative and operational support to the CARE department, including Women’s Care Centre (WCC) and Sexual Assault Care Centre
Provide effective daily administrative and operational support for such that there is seamless delivery of SACC and WCC services
Support data management through regular documentation and filing of confidential notes, maintenance of internal knowledge base, etc.
Maintain various systems within CARE, such as IP phones, data management software, scheduling software, etc., through vendor management, troubleshooting and addressing other staff needs pertaining to these systems.
Innovate and work with CARE staff to make administrative and operational processes more efficient
Support various CARE projects as required

Requirements:

Minimum 1 year’s experience as an office administrator, office assistant or in a relevant role
Experience in client administration in social service industry is advantageous
Strong knowledge of Microsoft Office and G Suite
Able to use initiative and judgement to solve problems independently
Strong belief in gender equality and the values of AWARE
Able to meet deadlines in a high-paced environment while balancing workload and competing priorities
Able to main strict confidentiality of sensitive information
Excellent interpersonal, empathy and communication skills in English (verbal and written). Spoken or written fluency in a second language (Chinese, Malay, Tamil) is advantageous.
Strong organisational skills

You must read and acknowledge our Privacy Statement 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.

19 Mar 2022: BREAK FREE! – celebrate International Women’s Month with AWARE

Break Free! with AWARE at The Projector X! On 19 March, join us for a one-day-only mini-IWD festival of three special events. First up, get a crash course in feminist history and theory at our Feminism For All workshop. Then, flex your gender-equality knowledge at Trivia Night in teams of four or five. Finally, watch a charity screening of the intimate, life-affirming Singapore film Some Women, followed by a conversation with filmmaker Quen Wong and her documentary subjects.

Tickets are limited.

Buy now!

Feminism For All Workshop

What does it mean to call yourself a feminist? What are feminist ideologies and how can we apply them to our daily lives? What are the most expedient ways to fight for gender equality? These questions might not always have neatly defined answers. After all, the ideas and discourse around feminism is often complicated – especially when theory comes up against the complexities of reality.

Feminism For All is a workshop for anyone who wants a dedicated occasion to discuss, unpack and gain a better understanding of feminism. Whether you are curious to learn more about gender equality in the Singaporean context, or want to advance along your own feminist learning journey, this interactive workshop will provide an overview of the foundational principles behind the movement, outline how they inform AWARE’s work, and empower you to apply various feminist values to your daily life. This hands-on masterclass led by AWARE members will have interactive segments, including small discussion groups and presentations.

Trivia Game Night

Former AWARE President Constance Singam gave a legendary speech at the AWARE Extraordinary General Meeting on 2 May 2009, with the refrain “_____ ____ ___?”*

If you found yourself filling the above blanks with ease, you’re a shoo-in for our feminist Trivia Game Night! Join us for a night of exhilarating and educational fun, with categories covering the history of gender equality in Singapore, pioneering women from around the world, seminal pieces of feminist arts and culture, and more!

Dig deep into the recesses of your brain, pump up the adrenaline and gather in teams of between four to five people to tackle furious quiz rounds. There’s much at stake: You’ll have a chance to win prizes for each of the rounds, as well as emerge overall champions for the night.

There are limited slots available for teams, so if you dawdle, you lose!

*P.S. Answer is “Where were you?”

Some Women Charity Screening + Q&A

Please note this film is rated R21 – Suitable for adults aged 21 and above. Identification checks will be conducted at the discretion of the organiser.

Employing a mix of contemporary footage and archive material, local transgender film maker Quen Wong and theatre director Glen Goei’s Some Women shines light on the intergenerational experiences of transgender individuals in Singapore, as well as the queer history of Singapore’s Bugis district- once the safe space for the local transgender community.

This heartfelt and intimate documentary is, however, not exclusively about the experiences and struggles of trans individuals – it is a deeply intimate reflection about the human experience. It is about transcending labels, accepting diversity, and having the courage to rise above the stigma to reclaim one’s identity.

AWARE is delighted to host a special charity screening of Singaporean documentary Some Women, directed by Quen Wong and Glen Goei. After the film, stick around for a conversation with Wong herself, as well as Lune Loh and Kristin, both of whom appear in the film. Don’t miss this chance to hear first-hand about the trials, tribulations and triumphs involved in getting a film like this made in Singapore!

Event Cocktail

For Break Free, we’ve partnered with bartender Kelly D’Cruz of The Secret Mermaid to bring you

Sage.Smash.Repeat.

Codigo Blanco Tequila, Melati Aperitif, Sage, Fresh Lime and Pineapple + Sour Plum Caviar Pearls

Earthy flavours of 100% agave-based Codigo Blanco are blended with the healing elements of 26 botanicals from non-alco aperitif beverage Melati. Sage cleanses your spirit and fresh lime adds a citrus kick! The drink is garnished with pineapple and sour plum caviar pearls to burst through with flavour and smash every bias!

We have limited quantities of Sage.Smash.Repeat. up for grabs so please pre-purchase your cocktails online to avoid disappointment.

More ways to help low-income mothers take up work opportunities

This letter was originally published to The Straits Times on 11 February 2022.

We appreciate Mr Abhishek Bajaj’s letter, “More can be done to help underprivileged women” (Feb 7), about the need for a “systematic approach to address the factors inhibiting mothers from taking up work opportunities”. We would like to add to his suggestions.

First, we urge businesses to accept a wider stakeholder view of their responsibility to society, and invest in well-paying jobs that pay decent wages.

Last year’s Minimum Income Standards report on households in Singapore found that a single parent with one young child requires $3,218 per month to lead a decent life. But many households’ incomes fall far short of this figure.

We hope that more businesses can index their jobs to the incomes households require for a decent life.

Second, flexi-work and freelance work can be a useful way to minimise work-care conflict if employers let mothers organise their time.

Casual work’s unpredictable nature makes childcare and eldercare difficult to organise, especially when a mother’s work hours fall outside regular childcare centre hours, or when she lacks notice to plan alternative caregiving arrangements around shifts.

Lastly, more attention to home-based businesses is certainly desirable, but people must go beyond ordering the occasional cake from a mum-owned business.

Our national policy discourse on self-employed persons needs to take these business owners more squarely into account.

Last year, the Ministry of Manpower initiated public consultation on proposed measures to strengthen protections for platform workers who provide transport and delivery services.

Similar consultation should be organised to focus on the unique struggles of home-based businesses.

We know, for example, that some home-based business owners may not receive Workfare Income Supplement top-ups because they don’t know they need to be registered with the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore to be eligible.

The consultation should address this and other challenges these people face.

Elizabeth Quek, Project Manager, AWARE

Tackle prejudice while increasing live-out options for maids

This letter was originally published to The Straits Times on 26 January 2022.

The Association of Women for Action and Research (Aware) echoes the Humanitarian Organisation for Migration Economics’ call for a review of the live-in rule for migrant domestic workers (Employers may find it hard to look after well-being, safety of maids if they live out: MOM, Jan 15).

In the article, speakers in favour of keeping the requirement that migrant domestic workers (MDWs) live at their employers’ homes cited concerns that, if offered a live-out option, MDWs would come to work “distracted” or get “involved in other illegal activities”.

These comments appear predicated on the idea that MDWs cannot make sound decisions about their own lives and perform their jobs like other workers.

They perpetuate the belief that MDWs are second-class workers who do not deserve to be treated equally.

Many MDWs that Aware has spoken to for our research have said the current live-in rule may compromise their well-being.

The isolation that most MDWs experience while living in their employers’ homes creates higher risk of overwork and abuse. With limited labour protection and no clearly stipulated work hours in their contracts, MDWs often work long periods without adequate rest.

In some cases, MDWs may be abused by employers or their family members. Living in the same household, they may not be able to seek help or contact helplines safely.

Ultimately, we have to dismantle prevailing prejudiced and condescending attitudes. Regardless of living arrangements, such mindsets will continue to result in MDWs’ mistreatment.

As live-in arrangements will likely remain necessary for some – for example, those requiring round-the-clock care – efforts to educate employers about treating MDWs with dignity need to be strengthened.

Additionally, we recommend increasing live-out options for MDWs. Such arrangements allow work hours to be more clearly defined.

The Household Services Scheme engages female migrant workers, who live in company-provided accommodation, to provide part-time household services. Its permanent implementation last year indicates that a live-out model is feasible and that domestic work can indeed be regulated.

We hope that the scheme can be scaled up while ensuring that MDWs receive decent housing and wages.

Lee Yoke Mun, Projects Executive, AWARE

24 Feb, 3 & 10 Mar 2022: Birds & Bees, A Workshop For Parents

Most parents believe that it is important to talk to their children about sex, but many are unsure how to do it. Or, when to start having these conversations and about what. Where do children get answers to the questions they can’t ask their parents? The internet is one source, and young people themselves say they are most likely to ask peers and romantic partners. Wouldn’t you rather they turn towards you? The “ask-able” parent who is open to questions, ready to make an effort to listen without judgement and engage in a dialogue?

Who should attend:

Parents with children of all ages will benefit, although parents with tweens and teens are more likely to find the case studies and discussions in groups immediately relevant.

Date: Consecutive Thursdays – 24 Feb, 3 & 10 Mar 2022 (Participants are expected to attend all three sessions)

Time: 8PM – 930pm

Workshop Fee: $20 (in total)

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 are 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. 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.

What the workshop will cover:

1. Communicating with your children

The importance of active listening
Tips on having constructive conversations

2. Consent

What is consent
The gold standard for consent
Consent in real life

3. Being an “ask-able” parent

Exploring own attitudes and value systems
Broaching awkward topics

4. Relationships

Signs of healthy and unhealthy relationships
Sexual Assault
Navigating the online world

Attend this workshop to explore how you can work on developing your own strategies to enhance the trust and bond with your child! Places are limited, so do sign up quickly!

**If you would like to join the workshop but cannot make it at this time, please fill in the indication of interest form.

Register here!

Anti-discrimination legislation should be comprehensive

This letter was originally published in The Straits Times on November 19 2021.

Since the announcement in August that anti-discrimination legislation will be enacted, both the public and parliamentarians have raised relevant questions about what the legislation entails and its implications (What’s needed in new laws to ensure fair play at the workplace?, Nov 13).

However, there are some concerns regarding the new laws that suggest an incomplete understanding of the reality of workplace discrimination.

To ensure that the anti-discrimination legislation is comprehensive, all vulnerable groups must be protected.

Currently, the Tripartite Guidelines on Fair Employment Practices that will be enshrined into law protect employees from discrimination on the basis of age, race, gender, religion, marital status and family responsibilities, and disability.

Absent is any mention of discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation.

Workplace harassment should also be categorised as a form of discrimination under the new law.

Discrimination can be expressed through harassment, such as in instances where employers or co-workers create a hostile, intimidating or threatening work environment through words or actions.

Marginalised groups, including LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer) people, are more vulnerable to harassment due to deep-seated discriminatory stereotypes.

The upcoming legislation should also be accompanied by relevant examples to provide clarity on different forms of discrimination. Indirect forms of discrimination tend to escape attention. Indirect discrimination results from policies that apply to everybody at the workplace, but disproportionately affect a marginalised group.

Another obstacle that should be addressed is that of under-reporting. A national survey by market researcher Ipsos and the Association of Women for Action and Research this year showed that only three in 10 victims of workplace sexual harassment filed official reports. As Straits Times senior political correspondent Tham Yuen-C points out, there is a fear of retaliation or damage to one’s reputation that can hold victims back from reporting.

To reduce the barriers faced during the reporting process, the new legislation should offer victims and witnesses better protection from retaliatory action by perpetrators and employers.

Legislation alone cannot eradicate discrimination. However, at the minimum, it will set out clear standards for businesses, and offer employees far-reaching legal protection and recourse. Other policies, including mandatory anti-discrimination training, have to be developed in tandem to bolster workers’ safety, well-being and productivity.

Apoorva Shukla,
Executive, Workplace Harassment and Discrimination Advisory

A Recap: Fair Enough? Towards an anti-discrimination law for Singapore (online panel)

Written by Erynn Lau, Junior Executive, Catalyse

On the last Thursday of October, 150 listeners came together over Zoom for the virtual panel Fair Enough? Towards an anti-discrimination law for Singapore.

Our speakers that afternoon hailed from across Singapore’s civil society: AWARE Executive Director Corinna Lim; Cassandra Chiu from Disabled People’s Association (DPA), and Deryne Sim of Pink Dot. Also present were David Black, founder and CEO of Blackbox Research, and Adelene Ong, Blackbox’s Public Policy Research Director, who presented findings from a new Blackbox survey on workplace discrimination in Singapore.

Tying everything together as the moderator was Professor Tommy Koh, Ambassador-at-Large at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Rector of the Tembusu College at NUS and Special Adviser to the Institute of Policy Studies.

The event was catalysed by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s announcement, during this year’s National Day Rally, of new legislation to target workplace discrimination, which would enshrine into law existing guidelines from Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices (TAFEP). Taking this—in the words of Professor Koh—”historic opportunity to help our government formulate new anti-discrimination legislation”, the panellists set out their shared commitment to combat workplace discrimination of all forms.

From data-driven insights to our speakers’ emotive personal accounts, here are our key takeaways from the event:

1) The reality: What does discrimination look like?

According to Blackbox’s survey of 1,000 people aged 15 and above in Singapore, 19% and 15% of the respondents said that they have personally experienced sexism and sexual harassment in the workplace respectively. Additionally, 8% reported that they faced homophobia and 7% felt that they were subjected to transphobia, while 6% said that they were discriminated against on the basis of their disabilities.

Following these statistics, the panellists talked about their own lived experiences with workplace discrimination, as well as how discrimination affects the communities they serve, in these four areas: hiring, retention, career growth and mediation.

Within hiring, Cassandra described the inner battle faced by applicants with disabilities in deciding whether to disclose their disabilities to interviewers, and risk not receiving a call back.

As for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and other sexual and gender minority (LGBTQ+) applicants, Deryne shared data from a 2018 Asia Pacific Transgender Network report that found that cisgender applicants received 81.5% more positive responses for job applications than transgender applicants, even though they have similar qualifications and experience.

All panellists agreed that fair employment practices should be extended to this stage of employment, such that hiring practices centre solely on the skills pertinent to the job. If that was the case, Cassandra said, Singapore would be able to raise the employment rate of persons with disabilities, which currently stands at a disappointingly low figure of 28%.

Corinna brought up maternity discrimination as one of the more common forms of gender-based discrimination seen in Singapore. Out of the 67 discrimination cases seen by AWARE’s Workplace Harassment and Discrimination Advisory (WHDA) in 2020, a full 48 pertained to maternity discrimination. Corinna described the different ways that maternity discrimination manifests: from being told not to get pregnant “early in the job”, to receiving poor performance reviews after pregnancy despite having a good track record prior.

2) Community-based support: What protects complainants from retaliation?

As the discussion progressed, panellists gave an overview of options for discrimination victims.

Asked about the efficacy of community-based support services and processes for those seeking recourse, Corinna observed that the experience of AWARE’s WHDA has brought to light the limitations of existing channels for recourse.

Blackbox’s survey found as well that awareness surrounding available community-based support services is lagging: Respondents seemed largely unfamiliar with a wide range of services that could assist them with workplace discrimination. For example, 54% of respondents indicated that they were unfamiliar with the types of support offered by TAFEP for workplace discrimination cases.

As such, those desperate for justice may turn to social media, a high-risk move that may easily backfire on them.

To make the recourse process safe for all parties, panellists agreed, all official channels for reporting discrimination should be trauma-informed, as well as LGBTQ+- and gender-informed.

3) Wishlists: Ensuring better protections by law

Speakers reflected that while some cases of workplace discrimination blow up in the news, many more cases of discrimination go unreported, especially without adequate reporting or processing mechanisms. Higher proportions of discrimination are also observed in minority communities. For instance, the Blackbox survey findings show that ethnic Indians (54%) and Malays (50%) were twice as likely as Chinese (21%) to report having personally experienced race-based discrimination in the workplace.

Corinna explained why harassment should be covered in law as a form of discrimination. This translates to companies being held accountable when a report of workplace misconduct has been made. As a baseline, firms should be held liable if no reasonable steps were taken to process a report of workplace wrongdoing.

On top of this, panellists were in agreement over the inclusion of specific diversity categories. Firstly, disability and mental health must be protected, noted Cassandra. Declarations of mental health status in the hiring process should be removed, unless directly relevant to the position advertised.

Secondly, as both Deryne and Corinna pointed out, legislation should include mention of gender identity and sexual orientation in order to protect sexual and gender minorities. While the Prime Minister did mention gender as a protected category in his NDR speech, no mentions of gender identity or sexual orientation were made, a fact that concerned our panellists.

4) Calls to action

This new legislation is only the start. Firms and institutions play their own role in providing inclusivity training for employees on managing unconscious bias. As Corinna said, the work of AWARE’s corporate advisory arm, Catalyse, shows that this scales up education dramatically and has a great positive impact.

Pamela Chng, the founder of Bettr Barista, a home-grown specialty coffee company with inclusive employment practices, was invited to speak for a few minutes about her experience as an employer seeking to stamp out discrimination. Firms and institutions, said Pamela, should focus on implementing structural changes to shape the organisational perspective. For example, businesses can include anti-discrimination policies in their Employee Handbook and during the on-boarding of all staff, and detail in their handbook how policies also apply to recruitment. Medical benefits should aim to include mental health and counselling.

At the individual level, we can also play a part in combatting discrimination. Some recommendations from Cassandra included educating yourself to be a better ally who can call out discrimination when it occurs.

In their concluding remarks, panellists urged the government to consider the specific needs of marginalised Singaporeans at this crucial and opportune moment.

“Discrimination is about all of us, so we all hold responsibility,” said Corinna. It will take the combined effort of each member of society to eradicate it.

Deryne reminded participants of the importance of LGBTQ+ inclusion in legislation, to counter the discrimination which stems from the continued retention ofSection 377A.

Meanwhile, Cassandra encouraged everyone to “be kinder, stand in other people’s shoes, and have empathy, [so] Singapore can be a more inclusive place”.

“The law is not enough,” Professor Koh reiterated to end off. “Beyond this, we must work to change culture and mindset. In these two respects, there is a lot of work for us to do!”

Limited service for AWARE’s CARE and WHDA services: Dec 2021-Jan 2022

Our Women’s Care Centre, Sexual Assault Care Centre and Workplace Harassment and Discrimination Advisory will provide limited service over December 2021 and January 2022, to allow us to make some operational changes that will strengthen our capabilities into the new year. All our operations will fully resume from 10 January 2022 onwards.

We seek your kind understanding and patience during this period.

For emergencies, please call 999 for the police. You can also call 1800 221 4444 for the Samaritans of Singapore (SOS) if you have thoughts of hurting yourself, including thoughts of suicide.


	Sexual Assault Care Centre (SACC)
Limited service period	13th December 2021 – 7th January 2022
What is open?	SACC Helpline (6779 0282) will operate between 10am and 3pm from Mondays to Fridays. If you are unable to reach us, please leave a voicemail. If your sexual assault occurred within the last 72 hours, we will endeavour to provide appointments through the SACC helpline for case management, befriending, legal consultation and counselling service. (You may also refer to this page for suggested actions.) If your sexual assault did not occur within the last 72 hours, you can call our SACC helpline for interim support and referrals to other organisations. However, appointments for SACC case management, befriending, legal consultation and counselling will only be available in January 2022. Please reach out to us again to book an appointment from 4 January 2022. For existing clients, please reach out to your case coordinator/case manager for further information about availability of appointments.
What is closed?	WhatsApp, email and walk-in services will not be operational during this period. SACC case management, befriending, legal consultation and counselling are not available for cases where the assault occurred more than 72 hours prior.
Full closure for holidays	AWARE is closed from 24 December 2021 to 2 January 2022.
When will all services resume?	Our operations will fully resume 10 January 2022 onwards.


	Women’s Care Centre (WCC)
Limited service period	13th December 2021 – 7th January 2022
What is open?	The Women’s Helpline (1800 777 5555) will operate 10am-3pm, Mondays to Fridays from December 13 to December 23. If you are unable to reach us, please leave a voicemail.
What is closed?	The online chat, call-back service, counselling and legal clinic services will not be operational during the limited service period. The Women’s Helpline will be closed from 24 December 2021 to 2 January 2022.
Full closure for holidays	AWARE is closed from 24 December 2021 to 2 January 2022.
When will all services resume?	The Women’s Helpline will resume operations on 3 January 2022. The remaining services will fully resume from 10 January 2022 onwards.


	Workplace Harassment and Advisory (WHDA)
Limited service period	15th December 2021 – 2nd January 2022
What is open?	WHDA Helpline (6777 0318) will operate 10am-3pm on 15 December 2021. If you are unable to reach us, please email whda@aware.org.sg and we will get back to you from the week starting 3 January 2022.
What is closed?	WHDA Helpline and befriending services will not be available from 16 December 2021 to 2 January 2022.
Full closure for holidays	AWARE is closed from 24 December 2021 to 2 January 2022.
When will all services resume?	Our operations will fully resume 3 January 2022 onwards.

WOMEN'S HELPLINE

1800 777 5555

SEXUAL ASSAULT CARE CENTRE

6779 0282

General enquiries

6779 7137

MENU

Author: Comms Executive