Are these clubs legal?

Are these clubs legal?

SINGAPORE - There are at least seven men-only clubs in Singapore, and they have names like Absolute, Cruise Club and Hercules.

Most of them can be found near and within what has been described as Singapore's "own Castro district" - Chinatown - which is bounded by Eu Tong Sen Street and South Bridge Road.

Located in San Francisco, the Castro is one of the first gay neighbourhoods in the US.

At these clubs, guests enjoy facilities like steam rooms, and they can also make use of gym equipment.

But these clubs are also popular venues for gay men to hook up with one another and have sex within the premises.

So are these clubs legal in Singapore?

Lawyer Rajan Supramaniam from Hilborne & Co said that some of these establishments operate as gyms and fitness centres.

And unlike massage parlours, where masseurs may offer sexual services for a price, club guests have the choice to have sex with the other men without money changing hands.

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Said Mr Supramaniam: "The sexual activities occur between consenting parties behind closed doors in a private place.

"If the owners of such places don't take them to task, and no complaints are made, then no one will know of such activities."

On the other hand, there's the question of Section 377A of the Penal Code, which criminalises sexual acts between men. Those convicted of the offence can be jailed up to two years.

The lawyer said that due to this law, the men could still be charged in court if authorities wish to take action against them.

And for allowing and promoting sexual activities between men within their premises, there is a possibility that proprietors could also be charged with abetting the offence.

Mr Shashi Nathan from KhattarWong has a different view.

He said that while the men could still be charged under Section 377A, he did not think the club operators could be hauled to court for abetting the offence.

Said Mr Nathan: "If these saunas advertise themselves as places like spas and fitness clubs... they don't explicitly say that they are places where men can go to have sex. "

He also said that if the guests choose to have consensual sex within the clubs, then proprietors should not be blamed for them performing such acts.


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