By Kylie Goh

In April, AWARE welcomed visitors from two overseas women’s organisations – South Korea’s Womenlink and Macao’s Women’s Commission. The purpose of their visits: To learn more about AWARE’s activities as Singapore’s leading gender equality advocacy group.

On April 11, a delegation from the South Korean Womenlink Sexual Violence Counseling Center dropped in at the AWARE Centre. The delegation comprised centre director Lee Yim Hae-Kyung, activists Jung Ha Kyung-Ju and Choi Kim Hana, and interpreter Lily Elliott.

Established in 1978, Womenlink is a non-government organisation that has spoken up on issues such as workplace sexual harassment, prostitution and other forms of discrimination against women.

Topics such as gender equality in the workplace as well as support services for sexual assault victims and survivors were keenly discussed, and the progress of gender equality in both countries was compared.

For example, on the issue of workplace sexual harassment, South Korea’s Gender Equal Employment Act penalises the perpetrator as well as the company if the latter fails to address the issue or complaint adequately. In comparison, women in Singapore have no such protection.

Furthermore, no police report is needed in South Korea for a sexual assault victim to obtain a rape kit, which enables forensic evidence to be collected against the perpetrator. In comparison, a police report has to be filed in Singapore before a rape kit can be obtained, which in many cases may hamper victims from proceeding with the rape kit.

Like South Korea, there is also no need for a police report in Macau before a rape kit can be obtained. There are also rape crisis centres where victims can go for help. This was shared by the Delegation of Macao SAR Government Women’s Commission, which visited AWARE on April 13. The delegation comprised 33 officials from the Macao SAR government as well as representatives from Macao’s leading women’s rights organisations. These included the Women’s General Association of Macao, Macao Women Civil Servants Association and the Fukien Women’s Association of Macao.

The Macao delegates were interested in learning about AWARE’s Support Services and Research & Advocacy initiatives, and expressed their desire to have an independent organisation like AWARE in Macao that was able to provide both research and support services. Currently, they feel that their voices are diffused and dependent on the government.