SINGAPORE, Oct 14 — Seven men aged between 26 and 75 will be charged in court today for separate cases of outrage of modesty allegedly committed in various places, including in a taxi and at a monorail station on Sentosa island.

The cases are:

  1. A 40-year-old woman reported that she was molested by a 73-year-old man in a clinic along Tanjong Pagar Road on Oct 1 last year.

  2. A 31-year-old woman was allegedly molested by a 54-year-old man while in a taxi along Lorong Ah Soo on Jan 4, 2019.

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  3. A 27-year-old woman was allegedly molested by a 48-year-old man inside a residential unit along Serangoon Avenue 2 on March 8, 2019.

  4. A 26-year-old woman was allegedly molested by a 47-year-old man along Gangsa Road on March 22, 2019.

  5. A 21-year-old woman was allegedly molested by a 75-year-old man at a shopping centre along Orchard Road on June 4, 2019.

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  6. A 24-year-old woman was allegedly molested by a 26-year-old man at Orchard MRT station on June 5, 2019.

  7. A 20-year-old woman was allegedly molested by a 31-year-old man at a monorail station on Sentosa island on July 22, 2019.

If convicted for outrage of modesty, the men face jail of up to two years, or a fine, or caning, or a combination of these.

In a press release yesterday, the Singapore Police Force said that the number of molestation cases has been on an “increasing trend” and remains a concern for the authorities.

According to the mid-year crime statistics that was released in August, the number of outrage of modesty cases rose by 5 per cent to 837 in the first half of this year from January to June, up from 797 in the same period in 2018.

The police said that they will continue to work closely with the stakeholders and the community to prevent and deter outrage of modesty cases.

In a reminder to prevent such cases from happening, the police said that the public should:

  • Be aware of their surroundings and be alert to any suspicious person

  • Avoid walking through dimly-lit and secluded places

  • Avoid taking the lift with a stranger

  • Carry along a shrill alarm with them.

The police added that those who are molested should seek the immediate help of people in their surroundings. They should also “take note of the prominent features and attire of the suspect” as well as the direction he or she went to.

Victims are also advised to call the police as soon as possible “to increase the chances of apprehending the suspect early”.

Lastly, the police added that the victim of witnesses of the crime may assist to detain the suspect while waiting for the authorities to arrive if it is safe to do so. — TODAY