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Key Areas of Support

Protection against Violence and Harm

Singapore continues to maintain exemplary safety standards, ranking second globally in the Gallup Global Safety Report. This achievement reflects our ongoing commitment to creating a secure environment for all residents.  The family violence amendments to the Women’s Charter passed in 2023, for one, would strengthen the Government’s ability to intervene in family violence cases where necessary, for the protection or personal safety of the survivor. 

Social worker speaking to a young girlThe Government has been progressively implementing the recommendations by the Taskforce on Family Violence, and continues to invest in public education and work closely with community partners on comprehensive social service support.

 

Presently, the Government is working towards enacting a Domestic Violence Act, to extend better protection to all in familial and non-familial relationships. 

International and local studies, including SHE’s study on online harms in 2023 and Sunlight Alliance for Action’s survey in 2022, have found that, compared to males, women and girls feel less safe online, and are more vulnerable to gender-based online harms such as sexual harassment and intimate image abuse. This is a grave concern as women should feel safe both in the real world and online. women signalling to each other the handsigns for protection from violence 

 

The Government has been working to enhance the relevant legal frameworks to better protect Singapore citizens, especially women and girls online. This includes the introduction of the Online Safety (Miscellaneous Amendments) Act in 2022 and the upcoming Online Safety (Relief and Accountability) Bill. The bill will establish the Online Safety Commission, a dedicated agency to support victims of online harms in seeking timely relief and promote responsible online behaviour.

A whole-of-society approach is needed to shore up trust and security in the digital world and to create a safer online environment for all Singapore citizens.

 

In operation since 2017 and located at the Police Cantonment Complex, the One-Stop Abuse Forensic Examination (OneSAFE) Centre allows for sexual crime victims to undergo forensic medical examinations (FME) and Police’s interview at a single location, rather than travelling between a Police station and a hospital. The redesigned OneSAFE Centre was opened in April 2023, featuring an expanded capacity with two new medical rooms as well as a redesigned layout and environment which provides the victims with a dedicated victim care area to further enhance privacy and comfort during the investigation process.
 

Read more about the advisory on sexual crimes available here. 

The Ministry of Law and Ministry of Digital Development and Information will be introducing the Online Safety (Relief and Accountability) Bill (OSRA) to help victims of online harms seek civil remedies, and improve accountability of perpetrators of online harms through the creation of new statutory torts and improved user information disclosure.  

A new Online Safety Commission (OSC) will be established in 2026 to provide timely and accessible assistance to victims who encounter specified online harms, such as cyberbullying and intimate image abuse. The agency will act on behalf of victims to direct perpetrators and online service providers, such as social media services, to put a stop to the harm quickly. 

Read more about the upcoming OSRA Bill and OSC here. 

Established in 2023, and set up in collaboration with the Singapore Council of Women’s Organisations, the centre provides holistic support and a safe space for survivors, particularly girls and women, to turn to when they encounter online harms. Services provided include a helpline, text-line, pro bono counselling support and legal clinics, and help with the reporting of online harms.

In 2023, DVERT was launched for social service professionals to respond jointly with the Police for family violence cases with immediate safety risks to the victim-survivor. DVERT is empowered to issue Emergency Orders on site in high-risk cases, with further acts of family violence breaching the Emergency Order being considered an arrestable offence. 

Click here for more information on domestic violence resources.

The Online Safety (Miscellaneous Amendments) Act (OSMAA), which came into effect on 1 February 2023, introduced a new part to the Broadcasting Act (BA) to regulate Online Communication Services[1] (“OCSs”) to enhance online safety.  

 

The amendments allow the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) to issue directions to disable access by Singapore users to egregious content found on OCSs. Egregious content includes content advocating and instructing on sexual violence.  

 

Under the OSMAA, IMDA has also issued the Code of Practice for Online Safety – Social Media Services and the Code of Practice for Online Safety – App Distribution Services (“ADS Code”) in July 2023 and Mar 2025, respectively. The Codes of Practice require designated social media services[2]  and designated app distribution services (also known as app stores) [3] to put in place systems and processes to curtail the risk of exposure to harmful online content for Singapore users. Harmful online content includes sexual and violent content.  

 

Additionally, the ADS Code requires designated app stores to implement age assurance measures and ensure that young users under 18, including girls, are restricted from accessing and downloading age-inappropriate apps based on age ratings set by the designated app stores.  

 

Footnotes:

[1] At present, the OCSs specified in a Schedule under the BA comprise social media services and app distribution services, also known as app stores. 

[2] The six designated social media services are Facebook, HardwareZone, Instagram, TikTok, X and YouTube.  

[3] The five designated app distribution services are Apple App Store, Google Play Store, Huawei AppGallery, Samsung Galaxy Store, and Microsoft Store. 

Implemented Jan 2025, the Family Violence Amendment Act strengthens protection for survivors of family violence and enhances rehabilitation and accountability for perpetrators.

Other implementation efforts include increasing awareness, strengthening societal attitudes against family violence through “Break the Silence” campaign, with a National Anti-Violence Helpline (NAVH) launched in 2021. 


More information on domestic violence resources.