Government agencies communicate via. Trusted website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. Help keep Singapore safe and secure. Mr Louis Ng asked if these amendments will only drive vice elsewhere, further underground.
Mr Alex Yam gave a passionate argument for the abolition of prostitution altogether in Singapore. There are no easy answers to this. Mr Alex Yam shared that we should eradicate the exploitation of women instead of management. He proposed abolishing prostitution. However, as NMP Anthea Ong pointed out, the economic and social factors such as poverty and a lack of realistic career options that pushes women into prostitution will not go away by criminalising prostitution.
She pointed out that sex workers and empowering these women can instead be part of the solution. We studied the approaches adopted by various countries β some ban the purchase and selling of sex, others focus on criminalising demand, and yet others have chosen to decriminalise or legalise the sex industry.
The experiences of these countries are mixed, but what Mr Wong Kan Seng said 20 years ago, and which Mr Louis Ng quoted, still holds true: no country has successfully eradicated prostitution.
In Singapore, we take a pragmatic approach towards vice. We prioritise our efforts by ensuring organised crime groups and syndicates do not gain a foothold through vice activities; and addressing public nuisance caused by vice-related activities such as soliciting in public, and vice in heartlands.
