Sun Xueling on Women's Charter (Family Violence and Other Matters) (Amendment) Bill
Family violence goes against the fundamental values of Singapore society. This is why the Government wants to strengthen legislation to better protect victims and enhance the rehabilitation and accountability of perpetrators. Minister of State for Social and Family Development Sun Xueling said this in Parliament on Tuesday (Jul 4) as she gave details of key amendments proposed in a new Bill. The Bill updates the definition of family violence by making clear that it includes physical, sexual, emotional and psychological abuse, which also encompasses controlling behaviour. Victims of family violence will be empowered to better protect themselves. Younger victims can apply for a Personal Protection Order (PPO) on their own. Victims can also apply for a Stay Away Order or No Contact Order, breaches of which will be an arrestable offence. Victims’ identities will be better protected. The Bill also strengthens the Government’s ability to step in to protect victims who choose not to keep themselves safe. This is through “protectors” who can issue Emergency Orders on-site in high-risk cases, apply for a PPO on a victim’s behalf if they refuse to do so but are at risk of harm, and apply to the court for electronic monitoring of high-risk family violence perpetrators under certain conditions. As a last resort, protectors can even apply to the court to remove the victim from his or her home. Finally, the Bill looks to strengthen the rehabilitation of perpetrators. It expands the scope of counselling provisions to include other programmes, treatments and interventions such as parenting programmes and caregiver training. Perpetrators can be sent for mandatory treatment if the court finds that they have a treatable psychiatric condition that is likely to contribute to family violence. To hold perpetrators accountable, the Bill proposes to raise the penalties for breaches of family violence-related court orders to a maximum fine of S$10,000 and/or 12 months in prison. Perpetrators can also be fined if they breach a counselling provision or other treatment provisions.
Family violence goes against the fundamental values of Singapore society. This is why the Government wants to strengthen legislation to better protect victims and enhance the rehabilitation and accountability of perpetrators. Minister of State for Social and Family Development Sun Xueling said this in Parliament on Tuesday (Jul 4) as she gave details of key amendments proposed in a new Bill. The Bill updates the definition of family violence by making clear that it includes physical, sexual, emotional and psychological abuse, which also encompasses controlling behaviour. Victims of family violence will be empowered to better protect themselves. Younger victims can apply for a Personal Protection Order (PPO) on their own. Victims can also apply for a Stay Away Order or No Contact Order, breaches of which will be an arrestable offence. Victims’ identities will be better protected. The Bill also strengthens the Government’s ability to step in to protect victims who choose not to keep themselves safe. This is through “protectors” who can issue Emergency Orders on-site in high-risk cases, apply for a PPO on a victim’s behalf if they refuse to do so but are at risk of harm, and apply to the court for electronic monitoring of high-risk family violence perpetrators under certain conditions. As a last resort, protectors can even apply to the court to remove the victim from his or her home. Finally, the Bill looks to strengthen the rehabilitation of perpetrators. It expands the scope of counselling provisions to include other programmes, treatments and interventions such as parenting programmes and caregiver training. Perpetrators can be sent for mandatory treatment if the court finds that they have a treatable psychiatric condition that is likely to contribute to family violence. To hold perpetrators accountable, the Bill proposes to raise the penalties for breaches of family violence-related court orders to a maximum fine of S$10,000 and/or 12 months in prison. Perpetrators can also be fined if they breach a counselling provision or other treatment provisions.
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