SINGAPORE — Singles in intimate partner relationships may soon find it easier to apply for protection orders against their abusive partners, Law and Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam said, as the Ministry of Law works towards enhancing the Protection from Harassment Act (Poha) next year for unmarried and married individuals.

Announcing these plans on Monday (Nov 26) at the launch of a campaign by the Association of Women for Action and Research (Aware) to end sexual assault, Mr Shanmugam said that there are cases of physical abuse between unmarried couples in close relationships.

“We’ve come across a number of cases (of) parties who are in a relationship (where) one has suffered very serious physical abuse… they don’t get the protection under the Women’s Charter. Of course, they are protected under the penal code, but I think if we can also give them the protection that is available to married couples, that would enhance their position,” he added.

For now, one may apply for a Personal Protection Order (PPO) under the Women's Charter only against a family member, such as a spouse, parent or sibling.

Victims who are not related to the abuser may file a police report and apply for a protection order under the Poha, which was passed in 2014.

Generally, a lawyer may be engaged to make the application for this order, and it could be more expensive and time-consuming. This is unlike the PPO under the Women's Charter, where a victim may file directly in person for one. 

The Ministry of Law is thus also looking at ways to reduce the time and cost of applying for a protection order under Poha for all individuals regardless of their marital status. 

These efforts are welcomed by victims of sexual assault and harassment, who called for greater support for those who cannot afford to apply for such an order.

She said that she had engaged a lawyer to apply for a protection order, which took around four months to process and cost her around S$5,000.

For people who breach protection orders under Poha, whether they are single or married, the penalties are going to be more stringent. Some infringements of orders under the Act, too, will be made an offence that could get the person arrested.

Mr Shanmugam said: “Currently, if (there is) a breach of the order… you have to go back to court and ask the court to enforce (the order), and the courts are very reluctant to throw people into prison, so they will give (the harassers) a second chance and third chance.”

Breaching a protection order is a criminal offence, with penalties ranging from fines not exceeding S$5,000 to jail time not exceeding six months, or both. 

NEED FOR MORE CASE MANAGERS

Aside from the new proposals to strengthen the laws on sexual assault and improve victims’ access to justice, women’s rights group Aware unveiled a series of initiatives on Monday as part of its Aim for Zero campaign to end sexual violence.

Through the campaign, the association will expand the outreach and capacity of its Sexual Assault Care Centre by hiring about a third more case managers to support victims.

The centre now has three case managers and five staff members, as well as a team of about 100 volunteers who support the legal clinic, helpline and other services.

The centre saw a 79 per cent jump in sexual assault cases in October last year, when the #MeToo movement — a global social media crusade against sexual assault — went viral.

Over the next two years, it will carry out a survey on the prevalence of workplace harassment and other forms of sexual violence.

The centre also has plans for employers and workers to be trained on how to put into practice strong anti-harassment policies and processes in workplaces, but details are not yet available.

As part of its campaign now, Aware has put out a video featuring 10 victims of sexual violence and harassment.

One of the victims featured in the video is Ms Pamela Ng, a freelance writer in her 30s, who was raped by a stranger pretending to be a fellow undergraduate. He had spiked her drink with the help of a friend during an orientation gathering, and after she reported the incident to the seniors in the dormitory where she stayed, Ms Ng said that she was shamed by some of her dormitory mates.

Discouraged, Ms Ng never reported the matter to the authorities, but she is hoping that Aware’s latest campaign will give courage to victims of sexual assault and “empower society to face the issue of sexual assault face on”.

CORRECTION: In the earlier version of this report, it was stated that the maximum jail term for those who breach a protection order is 12 months. It should be six months. It was also stated that there are penalties for repeat offenders who breach protection orders. There are no penalties for repeat offenders. We apologise for the errors.