SMU, NTU take steps to better protect students from sexual harassment on campus
Read more at https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/smu-ntu-review-sexual-harassment-procedures-monica-baey-nus-11474380

By Jalelah Abu Baker @JalelahCNA

24 Apr 2019 05:14PM (Updated: 24 Apr 2019 05:25PM)

Ricky Lim

NTU said that its review, which started late last year, looks at the effectiveness of its procedures and whether support resources like care for victims, as well as rehabilitation and sanctions for offenders are enough.
"The review also takes into account evolving social norms and expectations," an NTU spokesperson told CNA.
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In reviewing the framework, important to consider 2 points :-

(1) Avoid taking either of the 2 extremes 物极必反。

(2) Adopt a balance approach to support resources, care for victims, rehabilitation and sanctions for offenders --- to ensure "effective deterrence against crime", "with a view of rehabilitation", "emphatise - support care for victim" --- along the "Middle Path" 中道。

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Ricky Lim

Thus 3 angles must be look at :-
(1) Deterrence - punishment to deter crime. （戒律）
(2) Supporting care - for victim. （大慈）
(3) Rehabiliation - for offenders with high chance of rehabiliation. （大悲）

And adjust this parameters to achieve the right "Equilibrium"。

(1) 戒律 - Morality, Punishment to ensure right behavior.

(2) 大慈 - Emphatise, kindness to console and heal the victim's heart and mind.

(3) 大悲 - Compassion and grieving on the wrong the offender has done and the subsequent pain he will have to suffer -- and if he has thoroughly repented - will deserve a new life.
锡仗震破地狱门，明珠点亮天堂路。
（Guiding rotan blast the door of the Hell,
Using a shining pearl to light up the road to Heaven, Pureland).

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Chua Lee Kheng

What nonsense are you writing?!

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Ricky Lim

If you don't understand, never mind.
It is for people who can understand. （慧根）。

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Chua Lee Kheng

Ricky Lim Your enthusiaism is admirable.

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Ricky Lim

Chua Lee Kheng -
It is not talking about helping this guy who err but has repented and has a high chance of rehabilitation.

But it is also about building and maintaining a system that :-
1. provide deterrence to prevent crime from happening
2. look into mitigating factors - to ensure that the victim's justice is given and the offender's if have a chance to be salvage - can be salvage.

If we don't make our system right and wholesome - we will not secure a good future for the whole Society - justice for crime but also a Compassionate and Inclusive Society.

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Ricky Lim

Chua Lee Kheng -
To provide greater clarity what i have written above :-

(1) Punishment and deterrence must not be too slack (does not deter crime) or too harsh (that eternally condemn and make them turn violent - may even kill the victim to escape or make them feel hopeless with no mean to live and commit suicide).

(2) If the offender commit his/her 1st offense - I am open to give him/her harsher punishment such as expulsion or charge in Court --- if there are no mitigating factors like no remorse with no high chance of rehabilitation, no other mitigating factors like circulating the pictures, like using force on the girls etc.

(3) Having say so, I feel that in this particular case, many mitigating factors are present, eg. he is remorseful and have a high chance to repent, he did not circulate offending pictures, did not use force on the girl, he did not have other offending pictures etc.

Given these mitigating factors - i feel that both Police, AGD and NUS penalties given out is not out of line in this particular case.

The outburst come - because the victim is not provided with proper emotional support and help.

Thus i urge caution in being too harsh on the outset - that have undesirable consequences.

I am open to tightening the punishment - like expulsion or charge in Court for 1st offense if there are absent of remorse or rehabilitation and absence of other mitigating factors eg. circulating pictures, use force on the victims etc.

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Tan Koo Koo

We are sorry that she had to surface her concerns on social media for the university to take notice<<<

I'm not any bit surprised, this is the irresponsible culture across Singapore. Only when the fire is started, do they think of fire prevention. Only when someone is badly harmed, do they take notice.

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Guna Shekeran Vijayan

NUS and NTU has too many sexual misconduct cases it needs to come down hard on these perverts wasting their parents money in these prestigious universities only to damage its rating.
The management is simply too soft on recurring problem unless they adopt one strike off u you go there will be no end to this issue.

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Chua Lee Kheng

Students make mistakes all the time. What do you expect?

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Bruce Kky

Chua Lee Kheng then they must know and definitely they know (else wont be in this nus) some mistakes must NEVER be made.

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Elizabeth Chau

Bruce Kky - well put. Paedohiles are not to be entertained as simple acts of "mistake". Strong deterrent enshrined in all Institutions is required - just like your no littering laws

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Show 2 more replies in this thread

Ben Ben

If the deterrent is not serious, there r more to come ..If ur daughter is the victim, how u feel ..20 cases in recent years ? Wake up .

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Bruce Kky

Stop evading the main question! When are you re-opening and putting that nicholas lim on charge?! A crime is a crime! Else where is the moral standard of our state? What will you do, if this happens to your mother, wife, sisters, daughters, nieces, cousins, aunties, etc...??

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Koffee Koffee

Lily Kong former NUS and now at SMU is not fit to called President for SMU. And also not fit to be involved in the discipline committee.
One of the unreliable freak once at the many controversials at NUS who failed to address the grieves of an NUS student.
University students had no full respects for her as she had looses inability to handle institutional affair at educational level. She think highly of herself smart but a stooge and a empty shell.
Alot of "wayang wayang" atitudes of Kong at former NUS. She would continue her "wayang wayang" at SMU. The SMU students would suffer.
Better she step down and let an acknowledgable
Istitutional professional to take over her position.
A scary woman riding on the broomstick over the moon-night.

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Koffee Koffee

Please do not drag the outrage modestly case at NUS incident. Trying to protect the offender is wrong.
The disgusting shameful incident by Nicolas Lim is a clear cut crime he had committed against the law may it committed at the campus or in the public.
Do not dilly dally. Set a date and time to charge him in court according to the law and put him behind bar.
People from the Discipline Committee Members are also not above the law if found guilty of grossily professional conduct towards University Students.
Better wake up your ideas to learn how to treat your students well at the campus.
One the Discipline Committee's name is already branded as "BlackSheep" among the group.

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