SINGAPORE: TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS (TIP) REPORT

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 SINGAPORE 000406

SIPDIS

SIPDIS
SENSITIVE

STATE PASS AID, STATE FOR G/TIP, G, INL, DRL, PRM, AND
EAP/RSP

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KCRM KWMN SMIG KRFD ASEC PREF ELAB SN
SUBJECT: SINGAPORE: TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS (TIP) REPORT
SUBMISSION (PART 3 OF 3)

REF: A. SINGAPORE 405


B. SINGAPORE 401

C. STATE 202745


1. (U) This is the third of three messages relaying Embassy
Singapore's 2007 Trafficking in Persons Report submission.


2. (U) Continue text of submission:

IV. PROTECTION AND ASSISTANCE TO VICTIMS

-- A. Does the government assist victims, for example, by
providing temporary to permanent residency status, relief
from deportation, shelter and access to legal, medical and
psychological services? If so, please explain. Does the
country have victim care and victim health care facilities?
Does the country have facilities dedicated to helping victims
of trafficking? If so, can post provide the number of
victims placed in these care facilities?

Singapore provides foreign victims of serious crimes an
immigration status that allows them to stay until the need
for their testimony is over. It has provided such status to
trafficking victims and to foreign domestic workers who are
victims of domestic abuse. This status does not
automatically grant the victim the right to seek employment,
but the Ministry of Manpower has not rejected applications
for work permits by victims of trafficking or abuse.
Singapore does not offer permanent residency status to
persons based on their status as a victim.

The Singapore authorities (usually in consultation with the
victim's embassy) refer victims of trafficking or maid abuse
to shelters for women and children such as the Toa Payoh
Girls Home, the Good Shepherd Center, and the Humanitarian
Organization for Migration Economics (HOME). The Ministry of
Community Development, Youth and Sports (MCYS) refers clients
to at least six different such centers. In some cases,
abused foreign domestics live in shelters run by their
embassies. Both the Indonesian and Philippine Embassies run
shelters for their abused domestics. Some other Embassies
and High Commissions have limited, short-term shelter
facilities and then refer victims to other shelters for
longer-term care. MCYS has arranged counseling and health
care for victims of both trafficking and maid abuse. A
government-run clinic offers free screening for HIV/AIDs and
other sexually transmitted diseases on an anonymous basis.
Post does not know how many victims received assistance from
MCYS, but the Ministry says it offers services to any victims
it determines need them. NGO contacts who work with the
Police, Immigration officials, and MCYS to find shelter and
other assistance for trafficking victims or other women who
need protection, such as women who are trying to stop working
as prostitutes, are pleased with the support and cooperation
they receive from the authorities.

-- B. Does the government provide funding or other forms of
support to foreign or domestic NGOs for services to victims?
Please explain.

Due to the limited number of victims, the government does not
provide dedicated funding to assist trafficking victims.
However, the government does provide some equipment, training
and financial assistance (on a per capita basis) to shelters
for women and children, and does support a clinic that
provides health services and counseling to victims. Source
country consular officials say that Singapore Police and
social workers have been helpful in providing victims access
to any medical care needed.

-- C. Do the government's law enforcement and social services
personnel have a formal system of identifying victims of
trafficking among high-risk persons with whom they come in
contact (e.g. foreign persons arrested for prostitution or
immigration violations)? Is there a referral process in
place, when appropriate, to transfer victims detained,
arrested or placed in protective custody by law enforcement
authorities to NGO's that provide short- or long-term care?

According to NGOs and consular officials, when a victim is
identified, the police consult with that person's embassy as
well as the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and
Sports to determine what assistance the victim requires, and
which facilities are able to provide it.

SINGAPORE 00000406 002 OF 003



-- D. Are the rights of victims respected, or are victims
treated as criminals? Are victims detained, jailed, or
deported? If detained or jailed, for how long? Are victims
fined? Are victims prosecuted for violations of other laws,
such as those governing immigration or prostitution?

The rights of victims are fully respected. Embassy is not
aware of any case where a trafficking victim was jailed or
prosecuted. Foreign prostitutes detained by the authorities
are not prosecuted for prostitution offenses. In a small
number of cases (less than five percent of prostitutes
detained),over-stayers are charged with being out of
immigration status for remaining in Singapore beyond the
validity of their visa or permitted duration of their visit,
or for returning to Singapore during a two-year ban that the
GOS imposes on women who have been caught working as
prostitutes. Sentences for such offenses are generally
between one and four months in jail.

-- E. Does the government encourage victims to assist in the
investigation and prosecution of trafficking? May victims
file civil suits or seek legal action against the
traffickers? Does anyone impede the victims' access to such
legal redress? If a victim is a material witness in a court
case against a former employer, is the victim permitted to
obtain other employment or to leave the country pending trial
proceedings? Is there a victim restitution program?

The government does encourage victims to assist in the
investigation and prosecution of trafficking and maid abuse
cases. Victims may file civil suits. No one impedes
victims' access to legal redress. Victims are permitted to
leave Singapore, and some are known to have done so in maid
abuse cases; however, authorities are severely handicapped
should they present a legal case without a witness, and
police generally urge victims to remain, pending legal
resolution of a case. In some cases, Singapore prosecutors
have flown witnesses back to Singapore as required to
prosecute a case. Victims may obtain a special employment
pass that allows them to work in Singapore while their legal
case is proceeding. Singapore does not have a special victim
restitution program, except through normal civil procedure.

-- F. What kind of protection is the government able to
provide for victims and witnesses? Does it provide these
protections in practice? What type of shelter or services
does the government provide? Does it provide shelter or
housing benefits to victims or other resources to aid the
victims in rebuilding their lives? Where are child victims
placed (e.g. in shelters, foster-care, or juvenile justice
detention centers)?

Authorities protect victims and witnesses from intimidation
by defendants; in many cases, the accused are held in custody
pending trial. The locations of certain shelters in
Singapore are generally kept a secret, and NGOs that run
shelters tell us that police routinely patrol their areas and
will intensify their surveillance if there is a reason to
believe that someone is in danger. Child victims are housed
in shelters specifically meant for children (both government
and privately run). The secure Toa Payoh Girls Home has been
used to house victims who may face retribution by traffickers.

-- G. Does the government provide any specialized training
for government officials in recognizing trafficking and in
the provision of assistance to trafficked victims, including
the special needs of trafficked children? Does the
government provide training on protections and assistance to
its embassies and consulates in foreign countries that are
destination or transit countries? Does it urge those
embassies and consulates to develop ongoing relationships
with NGOs that serve trafficked victims?

Singapore Police officers are competent and well trained to
recognize and assist victims of such crimes. In 2004,
Singapore, Malaysian and Indonesian police participated in a
regional anti-trafficking law enforcement seminar. The
Singapore Police have also consulted with a local NGO on
interview techniques and how to better interact with victims.
Singapore is not a country of origin for victims, making the
last two questions not applicable.


H. Does the government provide assistance, such as medical

SINGAPORE 00000406 003 OF 003


aid, shelter, or financial help, to its repatriated nationals
who are victims of trafficking?

Not applicable; no Singaporeans are known to have been
trafficked.


I. Which international organizations or NGOs, if any, work
with trafficking victims? What type of services do they
provide? What sort of cooperation do they receive from local
authorities? NOTE: If post reports that a government is
incapable of assisting and protecting TIP victims, then post
should explain thoroughly. Funding, personnel, and training
constraints should be noted, if applicable. Conversely, the
lack of political will to address the problem should be noted
as well.

In 2004, Singapore registered the "One Hope Center" as a
society; it is the first organization in Singapore dedicated
to helping women escape prostitution. The organization's
founder has worked with foreign workers, recovering drug
addicts, and former convicts for seven years and received the
President's Social Services Award in 2003. The One Hope
Center works closely with the Ministry of Community
Development, Youth and Sports (MCYS),the Immigration and
Checkpoints Authority (ICA),and the Police to provide for
the women's welfare. It employs trained counselors who help
women leave prostitution, helps them get into shelters, and
liaises with the police and immigration authorities as well
as foreign embassies to facilitate their return home (usually
putting them in contact with another welfare NGO in their
destination country).

Other NGOs assist foreign workers who have problems with
employers (from failure to pay wages to physical or sexual
abuse). While such problems rarely would amount to
trafficking, the work of the NGOs helps provide confidence
that labor trafficking victims would be discovered and
assisted. A civil society group known as Transient Workers
Count Too (formerly "The Working Committee 2") aims to boost
protection for foreign workers, particularly maids, and
detect abuse cases earlier. In December 2006, it launched a
hot line for foreign domestic workers and foreign laborers to
seek advice and support. The Humanitarian Organization for
Migration Economics (HOME) provides shelter to foreign
workers (including maids) who are in disputes with their
employers or who have been abused, advocates on their behalf,
and educates them on their rights and Singapore laws
protecting them. HOME also occasionally takes in
sex-trafficking victims referred by the police who are
waiting to appear as witnesses for the prosecution of their
pimps or traffickers. Some privately run shelters are also
available for foreign victims of sex-trafficking or maid
abuse, and a government-assisted clinic provides sex-related
health services and counseling.

Cooperation from authorities is excellent, according to NGO
contacts, and authorities actively refer victims to these
services. Singapore's strict laws on abetting immigration
offenses require shelters to decline services to persons out
of immigration status; however, trafficking or other crime
victims can obtain temporary immigration status pending a
trial. Some NGO contacts also report that they have been
able to work out arrangements with the Immigration and
Checkpoints Authority where women trying to escape
prostitution but whose visas have expired are allowed to
return to their home country and are not charged with
immigration offenses if they turn themselves in to the
authorities. Other NGOs and some embassy officials note that
ICA will let people leave the country without serving time
for the immigration offenses if there are extenuating
circumstances.
HERBOLD