No To Rape Campaign and Seminar

Few statements have been as bold, direct and important as ‘No To Rape’ – clarion call of the online petition and campaign advocating one simple idea: sexual violence by any person, against any person, is criminal violence – including within that sacred union, marriage.

Launched in 2009, the No To Rape Campaign (http://www.notorape.com/) has garnered over 2200 signatures in support of a repeal of Sections 375(4) and 376A(5) of the Penal Code, which provide, respectively, that except in limited circumstances inapplicable to the majority of married women, non-consensual sex will not amount to rape if the perpetrator and the victim are married to each other.

Just last Friday, the Campaign, together with the Singapore Management University (SMU) Law Society, hosted a successful public seminar (http://www.notorape.com/seminar/) featuring five prominent speakers discussing the issue of marital rape from legal, feminist and human rights perspectives:

1. Ms. Dana Lam, former President of AWARE, discussed gender and marital relations – emphasizing the psychological trauma of women violated in an important trust relationship;
2. Mr. Benny Bong, President of the Society Against Family Violence, highlighted the ways in which marital rape can be understood as an act of power and control and hence should be addressed on the personal and family level, beyond legislative changes;
3. Associate Prof. Chan Wing Leong, from the NUS School of Law, gave a comprehensive overview of the legal aspects of marital rape immunity in Singapore;
4. Ms. Braema Mathi, coordinator of human rights group MARUAH, discussed the importance of viewing rape as a human rights violation; and
5. Mr. Siew Kum Hong, former Nominated Member of Parliament, shared his experience with activism and advocating legislative changes in parliament.

During the seminar, a film-ad – “It is time we speak up” – was also launched. (See video here.)

Full video proceedings of the seminar are also available online.