More than half of the Singapore workforce has experienced some form of workplace sexual harassment, a study has shown.

And yet workplace sexual harassment remains an invisible problem in Singapore.

Unlike other leading business cities around the world, Singapore has no laws, no national guidelines for employers to deal with sexual harassment in the workplace.

·        Neither the Employment Act nor the Workplace Safety and Health Act contains any provisions to address sexual harassment.

·        Most companies do not have any sexual harassment policies or procedures in place. This is because there is no statutory obligation for employers to do so.

·        There is no national agency with the authority to investigate or sanction incidences of workplace sexual harassment.

This lack of protection is harmful to both individuals and companies. Victims suffer in silence or leave their jobs when the situation becomes intolerable. In companies, workplace sexual harassment erodes morale, trust, and productivity.

This is a vicious cycle.

Because victims have no recourse to any kind of legal sanction, incidents of workplace sexual harassment do not get reported – and so the general impression is that it is not a common or serious problem. This results in the government and companies treating workplace sexual harassment as a non-issue.

It’s time to end this vicious cycle.

Add your voice to our call for the Government and employers to take steps to protect workers from sexual harassment. Sign this petition:

We, the undersigned, call upon:

a)      The Singapore Government to put in place effective anti-sexual harassment legislation and procedures in line with its international obligations under the Convention of the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women. The State should: 

·        Introduce explicit legal protection against workplace sexual harassment

·        Require employers to take steps to prevent sexual harassment

·        Establish an administrative body with resources and competence to handle complaints and promote application of the law against sexual harassment

·        Institute a broad range of civil remedies and sanctions that address workplace sexual harassment. 

b)      All companies to establish policies and procedures and provide training to deal with workplace sexual harassment.

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