• About Us
    • Fact Checking Policy
    • Ownership & funding information
    • Volunteer
  • Subscribe
  • Letter submission
    • Submissions Policy
  • Contact Us
The Online Citizen Asia
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
    • Commentaries
    • Letters
    • Comments
  • Current Affairs
    • Singapore
    • Malaysia
    • Indonesia
    • China
    • ASEAN
    • Asia
    • International
  • Finance
    • Economics
    • Labour
    • Property
    • Business
  • Community
    • Arts & Culture
    • Consumer Watch
    • NGO
    • Lifestyle
    • Travel
  • Politics
    • Civil Society
    • Parliament
    • Transport
    • Education
    • Environment
    • Health
    • Housing
  • Law & Order
    • Legislation
    • Court Cases
No Result
View All Result
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
    • Commentaries
    • Letters
    • Comments
  • Current Affairs
    • Singapore
    • Malaysia
    • Indonesia
    • China
    • ASEAN
    • Asia
    • International
  • Finance
    • Economics
    • Labour
    • Property
    • Business
  • Community
    • Arts & Culture
    • Consumer Watch
    • NGO
    • Lifestyle
    • Travel
  • Politics
    • Civil Society
    • Parliament
    • Transport
    • Education
    • Environment
    • Health
    • Housing
  • Law & Order
    • Legislation
    • Court Cases
No Result
View All Result
The Online Citizen Asia
No Result
View All Result

Revenge porn, voyeurism and “stealthing” to be part of sexual offences under Penal Code amendments

by Danisha Hakeem
07/05/2019
in Crime, Legislation, Parliament
Reading Time: 3 mins read
0

Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Home Affairs Amrin Amin. Source: CNA

Revenge porn, voyeurism and “stealthing” will soon be classified as sexual offences under the Penal Code with the passing of the Criminal Law Reform Bill on Mon (6 May).

The introduction of the Bill is in tandem with technological developments and the use of smartphones as a medium through which perpetrators often commit such sexual offences.

Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Home Affairs Amrin Amin, who co-chairs the Penal Code Review Committee, told Parliament on Mon that the new provisions will be enforced early next year.

Revenge porn entails the dissemination of – or threats to disseminate – images and videos of victims engaging in sexual acts on websites and elsewhere without the victims’ consent, and is often perpetrated by ex-partners after the end of a romantic relationship with the victims.

Those found guilty of distributing content involving “revenge porn” may be subject to up to five years’ imprisonment, with an option of a fine and caning. Should the victim be under 14 years of age at the time the offence was committed, the perpetrator’s jail term will be mandatory.

Voyeurism, which encompasses acts such as taking upskirt photos and filming someone in the nude without their consent and knowledge such as the recent case involving NUS undergraduate Monica Baey, is currently an offence under the Insult of Modesty provisions of the Penal Code, and the Films Act.

Those found guilty of voyeurism under the new provisions will face a maximum prison sentence of two years, in comparison to the one-year maximum under Section 509 of the Penal Code. In addition to the maximum of two years’ imprisonment, caning will also be included as an option in sentencing.

“Stealthing”, which occurs when a man removes his condom prior to or during sexual intercourse without the knowledge and consent of his partner, and lying or misrepresenting the state of one’s sexual health including the presence of sexually transmitted diseases, will also be included as a part of sexual offences under the Penal Code.

The changes were introduce to protect victims’ and to punish perpetrators for violating the sexual and bodily autonomy of victims, as such offences may open the path to serious health and psychological risks on the part of the victims.

The protection of minors, namely any victim under the age of 18, from the crimes of sexual “grooming” and other forms of child sexual abuse, will also be included under the new list of offences under the Penal Code changes.

In addition to provisions relating to sexual offences, the new Bill will also decriminalise attempted suicide as a means of fighting stigma against persons who attempt suicide and as a way of protecting the fragile and vulnerable emotional states of such persons.

However, Mr Amrin stressed that the decriminalisation of attempted suicide is not an approval of suicide, as the Singapore Government will continue to prioritise “the sanctity of life”, which means that the police and the civil defence forces will intervene and rescue persons attempting suicide.

Assisted suicide such as voluntary euthanasia will continue to be an offence, and those found guilty will be subject to up to 10 years of imprisonment, in addition to more severe punishments if the victim is a minor or a person deemed to lack the required mental capacity to go through such procedures.

For just US$7.50 a month, sign up as a subscriber on The Online Citizen Asia (and enjoy ads-free experience on our site) to support our mission to transform TOC into an alternative mainstream press.

Related Posts

US tells vaccinated people in high COVID risk areas to mask again
AFP

White House says US COVID emergency status to end 11 May

31/01/2023
Editorial

Excessively charging for an essential need, and calling it affordable because people still can pay for it?

31/01/2023
258 BTO flats and 168 resale flats returned to HDB due to non-fulfillment of Minimum Occupation Period
Politics

Desmond Lee files Ministerial Motion to affirm commitment on affordable public housing in Singapore

31/01/2023
Keppel O&M’s involvement in Brazil’s massive corruption scandal
Business

Keppel Offshore & Marine paid fines and damages of US$65 million to Brazilian authorities over corruption case

30/01/2023
Malaysian PM Anwar Ibrahim arrives in Singapore for one-day official visit
Malaysia

Malaysian PM Anwar Ibrahim arrives in Singapore for one-day official visit

30/01/2023
TikToker alleges being “thrown in airport jail” for going on a 10 hours day trip to Changi Airport
Comments

TikToker alleges being “thrown in airport jail” for going on a 10 hours day trip to Changi Airport

30/01/2023
Subscribe
Connect withD
Login
I allow to create an account
When you login first time using a Social Login button, we collect your account public profile information shared by Social Login provider, based on your privacy settings. We also get your email address to automatically create an account for you in our website. Once your account is created, you'll be logged-in to this account.
DisagreeAgree
Notify of
Connect withD
I allow to create an account
When you login first time using a Social Login button, we collect your account public profile information shared by Social Login provider, based on your privacy settings. We also get your email address to automatically create an account for you in our website. Once your account is created, you'll be logged-in to this account.
DisagreeAgree
0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

Latest posts

US tells vaccinated people in high COVID risk areas to mask again

White House says US COVID emergency status to end 11 May

31/01/2023

Excessively charging for an essential need, and calling it affordable because people still can pay for it?

31/01/2023
258 BTO flats and 168 resale flats returned to HDB due to non-fulfillment of Minimum Occupation Period

Desmond Lee files Ministerial Motion to affirm commitment on affordable public housing in Singapore

31/01/2023
Keppel O&M’s involvement in Brazil’s massive corruption scandal

Keppel Offshore & Marine paid fines and damages of US$65 million to Brazilian authorities over corruption case

30/01/2023
Malaysian PM Anwar Ibrahim arrives in Singapore for one-day official visit

Malaysian PM Anwar Ibrahim arrives in Singapore for one-day official visit

30/01/2023
TikToker alleges being “thrown in airport jail” for going on a 10 hours day trip to Changi Airport

TikToker alleges being “thrown in airport jail” for going on a 10 hours day trip to Changi Airport

30/01/2023
Workers’ Party Sengkang MPs receives a “mountain of rice pack” from public after donation call for needy families in CNY

Workers’ Party Sengkang MPs receives a “mountain of rice pack” from public after donation call for needy families in CNY

30/01/2023
Former Singaporean shares change of life in Australia with annual pay of S$80,000 as a plumber

Former Singaporean shares change of life in Australia with annual pay of S$80,000 as a plumber

30/01/2023

Trending posts

Former Singaporean shares change of life in Australia with annual pay of S$80,000 as a plumber

Former Singaporean shares change of life in Australia with annual pay of S$80,000 as a plumber

by Yee Loon
30/01/2023
15

...

Two Indian nationals paid about S$330 and S$730 respectively for forged certificates submitted in their S-Pass application

MOM found issuing EPs meant for foreign PMETs to PRC waitress and general worker

by Correspondent
26/01/2023
41

...

Earning only S$400 a month, delivery-rider turned hawker threw in the towel after two years of running a rojak stall

Earning only S$400 a month, delivery-rider turned hawker threw in the towel after two years of running a rojak stall

by Yee Loon
26/01/2023
24

...

Ho Ching breaks silence over Temasek’s write down of its US$275 million investment in FTX, says it “can afford to be contrarian”

US regulator questions VCs’ due diligence work prior to investing in FTX; Ho Ching says Temasek can afford to be contrarian

by The Online Citizen
24/01/2023
28

...

Indian rupee falls 60% since signing of CECA while Singapore becomes top investor in India

by Correspondent
25/01/2023
59

...

Temasek and GIC reportedly in talks with Adani Group accused of “brazen” market manipulation and accounting fraud

Temasek and GIC reportedly in talks with Adani Group accused of “brazen” market manipulation and accounting fraud

by The Online Citizen
26/01/2023
49

...

May 2019
M T W T F S S
 12345
6789101112
13141516171819
20212223242526
2728293031  
« Apr   Jun »

The Online Citizen is a regional online publication based in Taiwan and formerly Singapore’s longest-running independent online media platform.

Navigation

  • Editorial
  • Commentaries
  • Opinion
  • Politics
  • Community

Support

  • Contact Us
  • Letter submission
  • Membership subscription

Follow Us

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Instagram
  • Fact Checking Policy
  • Privacy Policy

© 2022 - 2023 The Online Citizen Asia

No Result
View All Result
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
    • Commentaries
    • Comments
  • Current Affairs
    • Malaysia
    • Indonesia
    • China
    • ASEAN
    • Asia
    • International
  • Finance
    • Economics
    • Labour
    • Property
    • Business
  • Community
    • Civil Society
    • Arts & Culture
    • Consumer Watch
    • NGO
  • Politics
    • Parliament
    • Transport
    • Education
    • Environment
    • Health
    • Housing
  • Law & Order
    • Legislation
    • Court Cases
  • Lifestyle
    • Travel
  • Subscribers login

© 2022 - 2023 The Online Citizen Asia

wpDiscuz