Sexual Harassment Cases at Workplace and Through Use of Technology
Ministry of Home AffairsSpeakers
Summary
This question concerns inquiries by Dr Intan Azura Mokhtar regarding police reports for sexual harassment and insults of modesty involving technology or occurring at the workplace. Parliamentary Secretary Mr Amrin Amin stated that between 2013 and 2017, an average of 100 annual upskirting reports and 20 workplace harassment reports were filed, with 97% involving female victims. He noted that while technology-specific cases are not tracked, image-capturing devices are commonly used in upskirting incidents. Regarding potential legal reforms, Parliamentary Secretary Mr Amrin Amin confirmed that the government is conducting a holistic review of the Penal Code, including section 509. This review aims to determine if the law should be strengthened and expanded to recognize men as victims of insults of modesty.
Transcript
3 Dr Intan Azura Mokhtar asked the Minister for Home Affairs in the last five years (a) how many Police reports have been made involving sexual harassment or insults of modesty (i) through the use of technology and (ii) which occurred at the workplace respectively; and (b) how many of such reports have been made by women and men respectively.
The Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Home Affairs (Mr Amrin Amin) (for Minister for Home Affairs): Sexual harassment and insults of modesty are offences under the Protection from Harassment Act and section 509 of the Penal Code respectively.
The Police do not track how many such cases involved technology specifically. However, from 2013 to 2017, an average of about 100 Police reports were filed annually for upskirting, with the use of mobile phones or other image capturing devices.
In the same period, an average of about 20 Police reports were filed annually involving harassment or insults of modesty occurring at the workplace.
Around 97% of these reports were made by females.
Dr Intan Azura Mokhtar (Ang Mo Kio): I thank the Parliamentary Secretary for the answer. Are there other incidents of sexual harassment that have been reported to the Police that are outside of the use of technology or beyond the workplace? And are there plans to strengthen section 509 of the Penal Code to include men as victims of insult of modesty?
Mr Amrin Amin: Places where outrage of modesty occurs include on public transport, at workplaces and various places. We are reviewing the Penal Code and one of these sections that we are looking at is that particular section. So, we will review it holistically and see what we need to strengthen.