Source: TODAYonline
Apr 09, 2012
SINGAPORE - Victims of human trafficking may soon have adequate shelter to remain in Singapore while their cases are being investigated.
Amid concerns that there is a lack of such facilities, an inter-agency taskforce - set up to tackle the problem of trafficking in persons - is reviewing the adequacy of shelters and will make the necessary recommendations next year.
The review is part of a National Plan of Action against Trafficking in Persons which was launched recently.
Currently, the Humanitarian Organisation for Migration Economics (HOME) runs two shelters - one for women, the other for men. The women's shelter has eight rooms and can accommodate 60 residents.
According to HOME president Bridget Tan, the shelter has been seeing many victims of abuse and trafficking - more than the number it can accommodate.
Ms Tan said: "It's hard for us to turn them away just because we are full house. We are not running a cinema or theatre where we can put a sign 'Full House' or a car park. We are talking about human beings that we have to try to respond to their needs. If we say no to them, we are full house, then where do they go to?"
In the shelter, the women find solace in creativity and self-development. One of its residents, Ms Nory Guillien, 31, said: "We have so many activities here. We do sewing, making beads for selling. Every Monday until Thursday we learn computer, English and cooking at the UWC school, and Friday, we do yoga."
According to Ms Tan, most of the people seeking help with the shelter are genuine cases.
"For the last eight years, the number of such persons who come to our shelter with no good reasons are very few."
She added: "Most of these cases, we actually sent them to the Ministry of Manpower and the police to really assess the case. So, we don't do it alone by ourselves and judge whether the employer is wrong or the worker is wrong."
Apart from providing the victims a roof over their heads, HOME has also started a financial assistance scheme under which the victims are given some money to tide them over while waiting for the court trials where they are needed as prosecution witnesses.
Said Ms Tan: "We try to give them financial help so that they can send home to their families, to their aged parents, to their siblings who are studying or even to their own children."
Amid concerns that there is a lack of such facilities, an inter-agency taskforce - set up to tackle the problem of trafficking in persons - is reviewing the adequacy of shelters and will make the necessary recommendations next year.
The review is part of a National Plan of Action against Trafficking in Persons which was launched recently.
Currently, the Humanitarian Organisation for Migration Economics (HOME) runs two shelters - one for women, the other for men. The women's shelter has eight rooms and can accommodate 60 residents.
According to HOME president Bridget Tan, the shelter has been seeing many victims of abuse and trafficking - more than the number it can accommodate.
Ms Tan said: "It's hard for us to turn them away just because we are full house. We are not running a cinema or theatre where we can put a sign 'Full House' or a car park. We are talking about human beings that we have to try to respond to their needs. If we say no to them, we are full house, then where do they go to?"
In the shelter, the women find solace in creativity and self-development. One of its residents, Ms Nory Guillien, 31, said: "We have so many activities here. We do sewing, making beads for selling. Every Monday until Thursday we learn computer, English and cooking at the UWC school, and Friday, we do yoga."
According to Ms Tan, most of the people seeking help with the shelter are genuine cases.
"For the last eight years, the number of such persons who come to our shelter with no good reasons are very few."
She added: "Most of these cases, we actually sent them to the Ministry of Manpower and the police to really assess the case. So, we don't do it alone by ourselves and judge whether the employer is wrong or the worker is wrong."
Apart from providing the victims a roof over their heads, HOME has also started a financial assistance scheme under which the victims are given some money to tide them over while waiting for the court trials where they are needed as prosecution witnesses.
Said Ms Tan: "We try to give them financial help so that they can send home to their families, to their aged parents, to their siblings who are studying or even to their own children."
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