| Channel
News Asia July 17, 2007 SINGAPORE THERE will be no enhanced penalties to current rape and underaged sex laws specific to internet cases as the number reported is relatively small, at about 1.5 percent of the total number of sexual crimes. There have also been no significant increases over the years, said the Senior Minister of State for Home Affairs, Ho Peng Kee, in Parliament on Tuesday. However, he added that internet-related sexual crimes are an area of concern as they involve mainly underaged victims. From 2001 to 2006, 80 of the 124 reported cases of internet sex crimes had female victims who were below the age of 16. Several crime intervention programmes like training sessions, workshops and awareness talks have been organised by the police, together with various ministries such as the Ministry of Education and Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports. Currently, those convicted of rape face a jail term of up to 20 years, with the option of a fine and caning, under the Penal Code. Sex with an underaged female carries a jail term of up to five years and a fine option of up to S$10,000 under the Women's Charter. - CNA/so |
||||