PART XI
OFFENCES AGAINST WOMEN AND GIRLS
Woman or girl below the age of 21 trained or used for immoral purposes, etc.
159. —(1) If the Director has reasonable cause to believe that any woman or girl below the age of 21 years is being trained or used for immoral purposes or lives in or frequents any brothel or is habitually in the company of prostitutes or brothel keepers or procuresses or persons employed or living in brothels or persons directly interested in the business carried on in brothels or by prostitutes, the Director may, by warrant under his hand, order the woman or girl to be removed to a place of safety and there temporarily detained until an inquiry has been held by him.
(2) If the Director after holding such inquiry is satisfied that the woman or girl comes within subsection (1), he may, by warrant under his hand, order her to be detained in a place of safety.
Director may order detention of woman or girl in certain cases
160. —(1) Any woman or girl —
(a) whose lawful guardian requests the Director in writing to detain her in a place of safety;
(b) whom the Director considers is in need of protection and whose lawful guardian cannot be found;
(c) whom the Director believes to have been ill-treated and is in need of protection; or
(d) whom the Director considers to be in moral danger,
may, by warrant under the hand of the Director, be ordered to be removed to a place of safety and there detained until he has held an inquiry as to the circumstances of her case.
(2) Every such inquiry shall be completed within a period of one month from the date of the woman’s or girl’s admission into the place of safety.
(3) If, after holding such inquiry, the Director is satisfied that the woman or girl is in need of protection, the Director may by warrant under his hand order that the woman or girl be detained in a place of safety for such period as he may determine.[26/80]
(4) Where a girl has been detained in a place of safety at the request of her lawful guardian, she may be so detained for such period as the Director has determined is necessary for her rehabilitation notwithstanding any request made by her lawful guardian for her early release.[26/80]
Period of detention of woman or girl in place of safety
161. A woman or girl shall not be detained under this Part, except for the purpose of an inquiry, after such arrangements have been made for her welfare as the Director considers necessary or after she attains the age of 21 years or marries.
Marriage not to be contracted without consent of Director
162. No woman or girl detained under the provisions of this Part or in respect of whom security has been furnished under section 156(3) shall contract any form of marriage without the previous consent in writing of the Director.
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Women and girls in urgent need of refuge
163. —(1) Any woman or girl may on her own application be received by the Director into a place of safety if the Director is satisfied that the woman or girl is in urgent need of refuge.
(2) Where the situation warrants it, the person in charge of any place of safety may receive into that place of safety any woman or girl who makes an application to her.
(3) Where the person in charge of a place of safety receives any woman or girl into that place of safety in accordance with subsection (2), she shall, within 48 hours of the admission of the woman or girl, produce her before the Director with a full report of the circumstances.
Transfer of women or girls from one place of safety to another place of safety within Singapore
164. —(1) Whenever an order has been made under section 155(3), 156, 159 or 160 for the detention of a woman or girl in a place of safety and it appears to the Director to be expedient in the interests of the woman or girl that she should be transferred from such place of safety to another place of safety within Singapore, it shall be lawful for the Director to issue an order that she shall be so transferred.
(2) No woman or girl admitted into a place of safety in Singapore on the request in writing of her lawful guardian under section 160(1)(a) shall be so transferred from such place of safety except with the approval in writing of her lawful guardian.
Removal of women or girls to Malaysia, Brunei Darussalam or Hong Kong by order of Minister
165. —(1) Whenever an order has been made under section 155(3), 156, 159 or 160 for the detention of a woman or girl in a place of safety and it appears to the Minister to be expedient in the interests of the woman or girl that she should be removed from such place of safety and transferred to a place of safety established in Malaysia, Brunei Darussalam or Hong Kong under the provisions of any law for the time being in force in Malaysia, Brunei Darussalam or Hong Kong, as the case may be, for the protection of women and girls, it shall be lawful for the Minister to issue an order that she shall be removed to such place of safety established in Malaysia, Brunei Darussalam or Hong Kong.
(2) No woman or girl admitted into a place of safety in Singapore on the request in writing of her lawful guardian under section 160(1)(a) shall be so removed from such place of safety except with the approval in writing of her lawful guardian.
(3) The order for removal under this section shall be addressed to the person in charge of the place of safety in which the woman or girl is detained and shall direct such person to deliver her to the person mentioned in that order for removal at such place in Malaysia, Brunei Darussalam or Hong Kong and in such manner as may be specified in that order for the purpose of transfer as aforesaid; and the woman or girl shall be delivered up and shall be transferred accordingly.
(4) The Minister may direct that any condition, not inconsistent with the provisions of this Part, which may be prescribed by the provisions of any law for the time being in force in Malaysia, Brunei Darussalam or Hong Kong for the reception of women and girls from Singapore into Malaysia, Brunei Darussalam or Hong Kong, and the detention therein of such women and girls shall be observed.
(5) Any woman or girl removed under this Part to a place of safety in Malaysia, Brunei Darussalam or Hong Kong may, if she so desires, on being discharged from such place of safety, be returned to Singapore.
Appeal
166. An appeal shall lie from any order made by the Director under this Part to the Minister whose decision shall be final and shall not be questioned in any court.
Women and girls may be received into and detained in Singapore
167. —(1) Whenever the government of Malaysia, Brunei Darussalam or Hong Kong makes a representation to the Minister that it is expedient that any woman or girl whose detention in a place of safety has been ordered by the authority empowered by the law of such territory should be removed to Singapore for detention in a place of safety within Singapore, and satisfies the Minister that provision will be made for the payment of all expenses that may be incurred in the reception, maintenance and detention of, or otherwise in relation to, the woman or girl, the Minister, if it appears to him that there is sufficient accommodation for the woman or girl in a place of safety within Singapore, may by warrant under his hand in the prescribed form direct the woman or girl, when brought into Singapore, to be received therein and conveyed to a place of safety specified in such warrant and to be there detained until discharged in due course of law or until further order.
(2) The representation mentioned in subsection (1) shall be delivered under the hand of the Minister or the officer for the time being charged with the responsibility for making such a representation on behalf of the government concerned.
(3) Every warrant purporting to be issued in pursuance of this Part and to be under the hand of the Minister shall be received in evidence in every court without further proof and shall be evidence of the facts therein stated, and all acts done in pursuance of that warrant shall be deemed to have been authorised by law.
Women and girls so received to be subject to local law
168. Any woman or girl received into Singapore under section 167 shall be dealt with in Singapore in like manner as if her detention in a place of safety had been ordered by the Director by warrant under his hand, and shall be subject to all laws and regulations in force in Singapore.
Women and girls detained to be subject to rules
169. —(1) Every woman or girl detained under this Part shall be subject to such rules as are prescribed.
(2) Every woman or girl detained or ordered to be detained under this Part who leaves any place in which she is detained otherwise than in accordance with such rules may be arrested and taken back to such place by any police officer or by any officer duly authorised thereto either specially or generally by the Director.
(3) Any person who —
(a) induces or assists any woman or girl detained under this Part to leave or escape from the place in which she is detained; or
(b) receives or harbours such woman or girl knowing or having reason to believe that she has escaped from a place of safety,
shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $1,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months or to both.[26/80]