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All for Freedom

vivienroams
Dec 11, 2017
3 min read

There are more people living in slavery right now than there have ever been in recorded history.

Human trafficking affects every country in the world, and Singapore is not spared.

With a booming economy, Singapore is a destination country for traffickers who exploit men, women and girls from Asian countries for sex trafficking and labour exploitation.

Viewed as a land of opportunity, many are eager to seek employment in Singapore and readily accept offers from recruiters who promise well-paying jobs. With a foreign workforce of close to 1.4 million workers in the various industries (i.e. construction, domestic service, performing arts, manufacturing, service industry, commercial sex, etc), this group is highly vulnerable to trafficking.

Despite increasing efforts by the Singapore Government in prosecuting and convicting more traffickers and providing protective services to victims, Singapore continues to remain on Tier 2 in the 2017 Trafficking In Persons Report, showing the country does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking.

The 2017 Report focuses on the responsibility of governments to criminalise human trafficking and hold offenders accountable across the 3P paradigm of prosecuting traffickers, protecting victims and preventing the crime.

Although the government began to prosecute its first labor trafficking cases, it has yet to secure the conviction of a labor trafficker under the trafficking law. Authorities did not effectively identify victims compelled into service through psychological coercion, leaving some victims unidentified and subject to punishment or deportation.

The report highlighted some key recommendations where Singapore could make bigger strides in tackling this issue:-

Strengthen efforts in identifying trafficking victims with a particular focus on screening for individuals entrapped by psychological coercion and debt bondage issues,
Increase training for front-line enforcement officers, and personnel involved in investigations and prosecutions of sex and labour trafficking offences,
Enhance efforts to increase victims’ awareness of available protective services,
Enhance cooperation with and funding of NGOs for developing and implementing anti-trafficking policies and assisting victims,
Make compensation available through criminal court proceedings

HAGAR Singapore has been running a trauma recovery and resettlement programme for girls trafficked into the country for sexual and labour exploitation. A popular transit and destination hub for trafficking activities, false job offers are used to trick them across the borders. A popular transit country, many Cambodian and Filipino men are subjected to forced labour on fishing vessels that transit through Singapore or its territorial waters.

Upon being rescued, HAGAR assists them by providing a range of services from legal protection, trauma recovery, education, vocational training and finally helping them to reintegrate back to their local community and enhancing their abilities to combat re-exploitation.

In December 2017, a team of 18 runners forms HAGAR Singapore contingent in the trail towards freedom!

The 70-runner strong team together with supporters and staff from the other HAGAR country offices, HAGAR clients and case managers had endured the race and persevered to the finish line in true spirit of the whole journey!

Held inside the UNESCO World Heritage Site with idyllic landscapes, Angkor Wat is one of the most significant archaeological sites in South East Asia, and a symbol of Cambodia. Every year, thousands of runners around the world fly to Siem Reap to participate in the Angkor Wat International Half Marathon and fundraise for the charity of their choice.

Since 1996, The Angkor Wat International Half Marathon NGO has attracted participants from all over the world, as well as local landmine victims, The marathon aims to give the victims courage and hope, as well as to appeal to the world to support the “ban on the use of antipersonnel mines.

Join us in helping Hagar, a relief organisation providing holistic care (i.e food, shelter, legal protection, counselling, career trainings, etc) for the rescued victims of human trafficking and slavery.

If you are interested in donating to Hagar, visit: giving.sg/campaigns/runtosavelives

For just $20, you will provide one day's food for an exploited woman or child.
A $50 donation will provide 1 child survivor the ability to go to school for one month.
With a $100 donation, you will provide rehabilitation services for survivors. This includes legal assistance and trauma-focused counselling.
Your generous donation of $200 will provide 1 woman or child safe accommodation for 2 months, daily meals and rehabilitation services

Other fund-raising activities:

Dance for Freedom. Exercise for a Good Cause: 3 Zumba-style sessions.