Singapore — Workers’ Party MP Raeesah Khan (Sengkang GRC) tackled the issue of sexual violence in Parliament on Tuesday (Jul 6), speaking about an adjournment motion on sexuality education in schools as the first line of defence against it.
Ms Khan, a mother of two young children, said, “While the Government has introduced stiffer penalties for sexual offenders, criminal deterrence is not a silver bullet for this issue.”
What is needed, she added, is for a “strong culture of consent” to be built in society. Otherwise, “the criminal justice system alone cannot protect us—women, men, and children—from sexual harassment and violence.”
The Sengkang MP suggested that standardised sexuality education be created as part of the curriculum for all pre-school operators, which would help young children “recognise the wrongs being done to them.”
Included in this curriculum would be body safety, good and bad touch, when to keep secrets and how children can get help.
However, Ms Khan acknowledged that the concept of sex may cause some to be uncomfortable, and added that she shared the concern that children should not be exposed to sexualised content.
“But sexuality education isn’t just about sex. It’s about teaching the concepts of normal relationships, boundaries, and respect for one another’s feelings and bodies. These concepts can be taught in age-appropriate ways,” Ms Khan added.
She noted that while “hundreds of minors” are affected by sexual abuse yearly, “the trauma of sexual violence finds many young victims far too early.”
The MP cited the example of New Zealand, where children are taught sexuality education starting from the age of five.
“If we wait too long to teach our young children about consent, respect, and what to do if they ever face sexual assault, we are failing them as the adults they trust,” she added.
Minister of State for Education Sun Xueling responded to the motion, by discussing new developments in the curriculum for Primary students.
Ms Sun said that the Ministry of Education (MOE) has been updating content “to ensure that they remain relevant towards sexuality matters”, since the sexuality education curriculum was introduced in 2014.
“We recognise that there are new challenges that our youths are facing and we are committed to partner them in their adulting journey,” she added.
Children are taught on sexual abuse in Primary 5, including lessons that take them through different scenarios to determine out what to do if they find themselves in these kinds of situations.
Ms Sun said the students are given lessons in recognising sexual abuse and harassment via “carefully designed and developmentally appropriate” character and citizenship education lessons, adding, “They learn skills to protect themselves both in the physical and online space, and know the laws that protect them.”
Ms Khan emphasised how important it is that children understand what consent is in all its complexity, and added that the current Growing Years sexuality education curriculum and the eTeens programme developed by the Health Promotion Board do not get to the “root of the problem.”
“Our students need to be taught why consent is key, and how people cannot fully give consent in certain scenarios. It’s commendable that some tertiary institutions now teach consent explicitly, but this must start earlier on in life,” she added.
She urged that more time be given to sexuality education, which now comprises 25 hours or one week of school in all twelve years of basic education.
In Jan, Law and Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam said that there were 2,798 reports of sexual assault involving children and vulnerable victims under the age of 16 from 2017 to 2019.
Ms Khan said that the actual number is “likely to be much higher,” because there are children who may not know they are victims of assault, or may not know how to report it. /TISG
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