SINGAPORE: Police made warning announcements against molestation and taking upskirt photos at all MRT stations during peak hours to deter offenders and it has been happening since April. During the inquiry on June 4 (Tuesday), a police spokesperson told TODAY that the announcements are being played to elevate serious awareness of these offenses and to deter offenders.
The police did not directly answer the query of why the announcements had been introduced at the particular time, however, cases of voyeurism rose last year, with a slight increase in cases on public transport.
The announcement goes like this: “Molestation and taking upskirt photos are serious offenses. Offenders will be handed over to the police”. The announcements made in English, Chinese, Malay, and Tamil; have gained the interest of passengers, with some sharing it on social media due to curiosity to discuss whether this is necessary.
On May 23, one TikTok video was uploaded where the user expressed his thoughts, “legit, so sad” to hear the announcement, as it “speaks volumes about the guys in Singapore”.
A thread titled: “How come MRT station must announce that upskirt is an offense?” surfaced in a Hardware Zone forum on Apr 21. The post questioned if there’s been more of these incidents lately. One user suggested that it was an indirect way of informing tourists that molestation and taking upskirt photos can happen on the MRT.
RISE IN VOYEURISM IN SINGAPORE
According to the Annual Crime Brief 2023, voyeurism cases reportedly increased from 424 cases in 2022 to 476 cases in 2023. One of the top three locations is the public transport network where voyeurism cases were openly committed, with 56 cases reported in 2023, compared with 55 in 2022. Residential premises (151 cases in 2023) and shopping complexes (84 cases in 2023) are the other 2 locations where offenders commit voyeurism.
The police will work with public transport stakeholders and the community to enhance public education and deter offenders, stated brief. On Tuesday, the police said, “We would like to remind members of the public that molestation and taking of upskirt photos/videos are serious offenses”.
The penalty for molestation is a jail term of up to three years, with offenders also liable to be fined or caned, or both. As for voyeurism, which includes the taking of upskirt photos and videos, offenders could be jailed for up to two years and be fined or caned, or both.
