PUBLISHED ONApril 27, 2026 9:40 AMBYSean Ler"Don't be a bystander! SPOT it. Report it."
This is the theme of a year-long anti-sexual crime campaign launched by Senior Minister of State for Home Affairs Sim Ann on Monday (April 27), in conjunction with the police's fifth sexual crime awareness seminar.
The event saw representatives from the police's partners and stakeholders such as the Attorney-General's Chambers, the Ministry of Education, and SG Her Empowerment discuss collective efforts against sexual crimes.
In her speech, the senior minister of state pointed out that while the number of sexual assault cases has remained relatively stable at about 2,500 cases per year, specific crimes such as outrage of modesty remain a concern.
She said that in 2025, the number of molest cases rose by 7.3 per cent to 1,531 cases, as compared with 1,427 such cases in 2024.
About 75 per cent of last year's molest cases took place in non-residential premises, such as on public transport, at nightspots, in shopping complexes, and elsewhere.
Responding to a parliamentary question by MP Gho Sze Kee (Mountbatten SMC) on April 8, Minister of State for Home Affairs Goh Pei Ming said the majority of rape cases and over half of molest cases involved offenders known to victims, although he also noted that such cases have remained stable over the past five years.
The campaign is part of efforts by the police to strengthen public awareness and encourage the community to take action to prevent, deter and report such offences.
Speaking to the media at the event, Sim highlighted that sexual crimes not only affect victims, but also their families and the community.
She encouraged those who witness such crimes and victims themselves to report it.
"Doing so, as soon as possible, can help preserve evidence and bring the culprit to justice, preventing more harm from being caused," Sim said.
Under the SPOT protocol — which stands for "Spot. Protect. Observe. Tell." — members of the public are encouraged to stay alert and play their part in looking out for potential victims and danger in the community.
They are also encouraged to step forward to protect victims, when it is safe to do so. Details such as the perpetrator's appearance, clothing, time, location and direction of travel are useful observations for investigators.
Finally, members of the public should tell the police when it is safe to do so.
The campaign will be rolled out across public spaces, public transport networks and public entertainment outlets.
The police will also continue to conduct school talks throughout the year to raise students' awareness of sexual crimes and familiarise them with the SPOT protocol.
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