While harassment in Singapore is not exactly a common thing (owing to the safety protocols of the nation), one should not mistakenly assume it as non-existent;
It is, contrary to popular belief, a real thing. Right here in Singapore.
And really, one does not have to look further than the following article to get an idea of just how traumatising harassment can be…
As well as how law-circumventing it can get, if the circumstance dictates.
11 Police Reports Allegedly Made Against Unknown Harasser Since 2017
Two days ago (16 July 2020), Facebook user Ai Leen posted a rather unnerving entry on the social media platform, detailing the harassment her family has been facing for the past few years, and how authorities have allegedly been unable to put a permanent stop to the act.
According to the post, it all started in Dec 2017.
The harasser, who seemed to be in his 50s/60s, would press the user’s doorbell several times, slot in numerous letters under their door and even sleep outside the doorstep.
Wait, sleep outside the doorstep?
Despite police intervention, the man would ultimately resurface again, appearing at least two times a day and sometimes up to five. It was not until they set up a CCTV (for evidence) and applied for a magistrate’s complaint that the harasser was finally apprehended.
And even then, it did not last for long.
Punished with 7 weeks and 5 days’ imprisonment, the harasser was allegedly checked into IMH right after. Things got quiet for a while, until sometime between Feb and March when the user received letters with the Changi Prison’s letterhead.
Somehow, the harassment managed to persist even behind bars.
Though, of course, it’s unknown whether it’s real.
Shocked, the user’s family contacted the police, and was then informed that they will be duly updated.
In Oct 2018, another letter was placed at their unit. Disturbed, the family tried applying for a Protection from Harassment Act (POHA) under section 12(1), but to no avail.
“Since he is a stranger to us and the Police refused to release his information due to confidentiality,” Ai Leen wrote, “we failed to get the Protection Order.”
During this time, they also attempted to seek help from MPs. That didn’t help but it’s unknown why that was so.
On Oct 2019, the harasser left letters at their unit again, before turning up with a notebook three months later.
No police call was made, as they’ve “given up on them”.
On 5 July 2020, the harasser returned to lie outside their doorstep, and committed an obscene act. This time, the Police were brought in, though again, the harasser was let off the hook. The next day, the doorbell rang past midnight, and the Police were alerted.
To date, the user stated there have been more than “20 harassment letters, 15 doorbell rings , 2 counts of obscene acts, 1 count of stealing, 15 police calls made, 11 police reports lodged, 4 IOs assigned ” and “6 emails to AMK GRC MPs”.
No long-term deterrence measure was adopted.
On 16 July, 2020, the harasser was arrested, and convicted on one count of Obscene Act.
He’s liable to face a jail term of up to three months, fine or both.
The user, however, has hinted that it will not be enough to deter any further harassment from happening.
“On 16 July 2020, the harasser has been arrested and convicted for just 1 count of Obscene Act,” she wrote. “This is DEFINITELY NOT the full picture of what he has done.
“The main problem of harassment for 3 consecutive years has still not been addressed. There is no increase in penalties to deter him from coming back to harass us again. How many more years do we have to live through this?”
Here are some of the letters:
And the number of police reports made; so many, you might think that this image is taken from a police station:
You can read the entire post here:
It should be noted that Netizens have since advocated for the necessary help to happen.
Would you be jailed for being half-naked in public? Well, the answer will shock you. Seriously. Watch this to the end and you'll understand:
