A week after the story of the NUS student who was filmed in the shower made headlines, local gender equality advocacy group AWARE came out with a statement echoing public outcry for how the case was handled by the authorities and the university.
AWARE said it was “distressed” to head about what had happened to the victim, Monica Baey, and “the unsatisfactory recourse to justice” from the police and school officials.
The non-profit noted that they have reached out to Ms Baey to ascertain her physical and physiologically well-being. AWARE also commended her for speaking out over the unfairness of the situation at the risk of reliving her trauma.
AWARE went on to highlight several measures they feel the university should take in addressing the issue including prioritising the safety of survivors, having strong protocols in place that are fair to all parties and practice transparency over its procedures.
In a post-#MeToo world where society is more aware of and discerning about the complexities of sexual abuse, all institutes of higher learning must get their act together, said AWARE.
The organisation also called for the public to exercise compassion and graciousness when seeking justice in cases such as these. While acknowledging the severity of the actions committed which warranted a heavier punishment from the authorities, AWARE added that this injustice “speaks of a far deeper, more systemic problem than one perpetrator”.
Read AWARE’s full statement here:
