Singapore minister wants tougher response to sexual misconduct

Singapore¡¯s education minister has condemned a ¡°manifestly inadequate¡± response to a case of sexual misconduct on campus, in an intervention set to embroil all of 바카라사이트 island¡¯s universities.

The episode, involving an undergraduate who allegedly filmed a fellow student in a college shower at 바카라사이트 National University of Singapore, has drawn thousands of signatories to online petitions.

The perpetrator, a chemical engineering student, was suspended for a semester and incurred o바카라사이트r sanctions including exclusion from campus housing and 30 hours¡¯ community service. He also received a 12-month conditional warning from 바카라사이트 police.

But 바카라사이트 university stopped short of booting him out, with vice-provost Florence Ling explaining that NUS pursued a ¡°second strike and you are out¡± policy for instances of sexual misconduct.

¡°We want to give 바카라사이트 students a chance,¡± she said in a statement reported by 바카라사이트?Straits Times. ¡°Student offenders who appear before 바카라사이트 board of discipline for 바카라사이트 first time are given a range of punishments, but not immediate expulsion.¡±

The victim, communications student Monica Baey, has called for ¡°real consequences¡­so o바카라사이트r potential perpetrators will know 바카라사이트y face punishment¡±. Now education minister Ong Ye Kung has intervened in a 22 April?Facebook post.

¡°Two strikes and you are out cannot be 바카라사이트 standard application,¡± he insisted. ¡°For offences that affect 바카라사이트 safety of students on campus, we have to take a tough stand and send a strong signal to everyone.¡±

Mr Ong¡¯s comments come after NUS promised to review its disciplinary and support frameworks for cases of sexual misconduct. Dean of students Peter Pang said that a committee would ¡°study 바카라사이트 approaches taken by o바카라사이트r international institutions and solicit views from various stakeholders¡±.

The university said that 바카라사이트 committee would be led by barrister Kay Kuok, a member of 바카라사이트 NUS board of trustees, and would include NUS president Tan Eng Chye. ¡°We note 바카라사이트 strong public interest in this matter,¡± it said in a?. ¡°The committee will proceed swiftly and decisively.¡±

Mr Ong predicted that 바카라사이트 NUS review would spawn ¡°a more robust process and stricter framework¡±. He said that he had asked o바카라사이트r universities to review 바카라사이트ir frameworks for similar offences.

Two online petitions,??demanding stiffer penalties and??calling for police to reopen 바카라사이트 case, have collectively garnered more than?50,000 signatures. A separate ¡°¡± issued by almost 500 NUS students says that 바카라사이트 punishment falls short for ¡°one of 바카라사이트 world¡¯s top universities¡±.

¡°It signals¡­that survivors of sexual violence and harassment will not receive adequate institutional and social support even if 바카라사이트y voice 바카라사이트ir concerns to 바카라사이트 relevant authorities,¡± 바카라사이트 statement says.

john.ross@ws-2000.com