The timing couldn’t be more perfect.
A day after police released a statement on Sunday about the increase in “outrage of modesty” cases this year, eight men were charged in court this morning for cases of molestation in nightspots and on public transportation.
The men, aged between 25 and 68, were charged with outrage of modesty — a catchall charge that covers multiple forms of molestation — over incidents that occurred between January and July this year, Channel NewsAsia reported. Four were Singaporeans, while the rest hailed from Malaysia, India, and Bangladesh.
According to TODAY, three of them were accused of molesting females in nightclubs or bars, while two were said to have struck on trains. The others allegedly cornered their victims at a factory’s in-house medical clinic, a ship docked at Sembawang Shipyard, and inside an HDB lift at Blk 21, Chai Chee Avenue.
The cases included acts like grabbing the women’s breasts, pinching their buttocks, touching their crotch area, and hugging them from behind.
If convicted, the men face potential jail sentences of up to two years, a fine, a caning, or a combination of all three.
Police said that there were 1,168 incidents reported between January and September this year, up 194 cases from the same period a year ago.
In a stat that won’t shock any woman in the world who’s ridden in a subway car, 152 of the incidents occurred on public transport, while 76 were committed at public entertainment outlets.
As a reminder, the police added that molestation victims should seek help from those around them and call 999 immediately after the incident to up the odds of catching the suspect. They also asked that victims take note of the suspect’s prominent features and attire, and the direction he or she were last seen headed.
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