Serious cases of hurt and harassment will soon be required by law to be referred to the police. This is part of the Protection from Harassment Act (Poha) which was debated on in Parliament on 7 May 2019.
Amendments to the bill will also see the establishment of the Protection from Harassment Court, which will be staffed by judges trained specially to deal with harassment. Senior Minister of State for Health and Law Edwin Tong said that with these amendments, it will also ensure that the State can intervene to reduce the risk of greater harm to the victim.
Other changes in the act also includes measures to ensure victims can get swifter and more effective help in obtaining protection orders against their offenders.
A new offence, ‘doxxing’ was also introduced, against those who publish identifiable information about their victims, with the intent to cause harassment, alarm or distress.
Mr Tong reiterated, “The amendments to Poha give power to the people so that the man in the street can take back the truth, reclaim his dignity.”
Image: Screengrab from CNA
