NURTURE
Say No to Touch & Go
By Jade Tan
Dealing
with
Public Molestation
Singapore faces about
1400 cases of sexual
violation each year, a large
percentage of them taking
place on public transport.
Many more go unreported
because victims are
unwilling to come forward.
HAVING AN INTIMATE TALK
WITH YOUR CHILD
We no longer live in the Neanderthal era, when cavemen
clubbed women over their heads and dragged them
back to their caves. These days, we eat our pizza with a
fork and knife, and rinse our hands after we use the loo.
But sometimes, rogue hands and other body parts still
break the unspoken “Do Not Touch” rule by making their
sneaky way onto delicate, not-for-sale displays.
In our civilised times, this is termed as an outrage
of modesty.
1
How to recognise inappropriate
sexual behaviour. This can be
done by identifying your child’s
intimate areas (e.g. parts covered
by undergarments). Beyond
physical touch, questions or stories
regarding those areas should also
ring alarm bells.
2
They can directly refuse requests
that they are uncomfortable with
and leave. Reassure them that it is
okay to say “no”.
3
Never to keep sexual incidents
as a secret. Encourage them to
notify a person of authority, or at
least another “auntie” or “uncle”
immediately after it has occurred
so that they can help.
STOPPING A M
OLES
HIS OR HER TR TER IN
ACKS!
1
Press the Emer
gency
Communication
Button
(ECB) beside th
e door of the trai
n to
talk to the train
officer and rela
te to
him/her what ha
d happened.
2
Look for the ca
rriage number;
it is a four-digit
number
displayed at the
adjoining part of
each carriage, lo
cated on the pane
l
against the twoseaters. Mentio
n the
carriage numbe
r of the carriage
you
are in to the trai
n officer.
18
Family & Life • Apr 2014
It appears so, with crime reports showing a one percent
overall increase between 2011 and 2012, and 39 more
offences being recorded on public transport. Law firm
Gloria James-Civetta & Co receives an average of three
to five molestation investigation charges monthly.
When
one during peak hours.
No, really, try entering
you reach
will not alight before
dge yourself into one, you
t has been
you finally manage to we
even that errant hand tha
hell or high water. Not
your destination, come
packed ride so that’s
past two minutes. It’s a
against your thigh for the
brushing
normal, you reason.
ant hand was
at the owner of that err
es. Or, that could be wh
this manner
That’s true. Sometim
ention to themselves in
no one wants to call att
t
n be hard to identify.
counting on – the fact tha
After all, molestation ca
ging an innocent party.
and risk wron
pass their ill-intent as an
ow perpetrators to try to
owded environments all
Cr
happen excessively,
sh. If these “accidents”
tal bump, an innocent bru
owledge, advises Louis
acciden
ked intention and/or kn
y could be evidence of wic
mention if a victim
however, th