Crime Prevention Through Public Messaging: MRT Announcements Against Sexual Offences
The following PSA should sound familiar to us:
"Attention please, please do not leave your belongings unattended. If you see any suspicious-looking person or article, please inform our staff. Thank you."
The PSA on belongings likely stemmed in response to the 2004 and 2005 rail attacks in Madrid and London respectively. I could also vividly recall the video on the television screens hung over our heads that aimed to raise awareness about unattended belongings - with the superimposed explosion as a consequence. If I recall correctly, this same video is still in circulation.
If you are audio-aware of your surroundings, you might also catch the following PSA in your daily commutes:
“Molestation and taking upskirt photos are serious offences. Offenders will be handed over to the police.”
The PSA above should ring all too familiar to us in the recent times. It is likely confirmation bias, but I get the hunch that this PSA gets repeated more often than others. It was reported in Feb 2025 CNA that this PSA is broadcasted during peak hours i.e. I am a working adult => I hear it everytime I use the MRT on weekdays.
The PSA on sexual offences has led me to consider the following:
Why sexual offences, specifically molestation and upskirt photos/videos?
Presumably, escalators and tight spaces are opportunistic settings for would-be offenders and was the target variable. Why not the same PSA in malls or lifts?
For learning purposes, we first look at the relevant sections in the Penal Code 1871 (“PC”). I am also taking this opportunity to expose myself to more provisions.
Voyeurism
Section 377BB of the Penal Code criminalises acts of voyeurisms and its various offending forms. Of relevance to the subject matter, the PSA aims to target acts that fall under s 377BB(5), which states:
Any person (A) shall be guilty of an offence who —
(a) intentionally or knowingly records without another person’s (B) consent an image of B’s genital region, breasts if B is female, or buttocks (whether exposed or covered), in circumstances where the genital region, breasts, buttocks or underwear would not otherwise be visible; and
(b) knows or has reason to believe that B does not consent to A recording the image.
Act 15 of 2019 introduced specific provisions to voyeurism effective 1 January 2020, prior to which, offenders would be charged under s 509 PC “Word or gesture intended to insult the modesty of a woman” instead - which has since been repealed. It carried a maximum jail term of 1 year, or with a fine, or both.
Fast forward to present, s 377BB(7)-(8) provides the punishment for offences under s 377BB as follows:
(7) Subject to subsection (8), a person who is guilty of an offence under this section shall on conviction be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to 2 years, or with fine, or with caning, or with any combination of such punishments.
(8) A person who commits an offence under this section against a person who is below 14 years of age shall on conviction be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to 2 years and shall also be liable to fine or to caning.
On plain reading, subsection (8) uses the “and” operation for up to 2 years of jail + fine or caning guaranteeing a jail term + fine or caning. Subsection (7) uses “or” to jail term, fine, caning, and a combination of these, implying that it is possible to receive just 1 out of the 3 categories of punishments depending on severity. These subsections attempt to distinguish the punishments for offences against persons of ages above or below 14, yet the differences are somewhat subtle in comparison to the same distinction in s 354 PC.
In any case, Act 15 of 2019 introduced specific and enhanced punishments for voyeurism and it departed from the punishments in s 509.
Molestation (Outrage of Modesty)
The offence for molestation comes under Section 354 of the Penal Code, which states:
(1) Whoever assaults or uses criminal force to any person, intending to outrage or knowing it to be likely that he will thereby outrage the modesty of that person, shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to 3 years, or with fine, or with caning, or with any combination of such punishments.
(2) Whoever commits an offence under subsection (1) against any person below 14 years of age shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to 5 years, or with fine, or with caning, or with any combination of such punishments.
Likewise with voyeurism, the maximum punishment for molestation was also increased from 2 years to 3 years following Act 23 of 2021. Also, such offence against persons below the age of 14 will be met with a greater punishment of up to 5 years. There is clear contrast in the punishment here with respect to the ages of victims. Offences caught under this section includes physical contact.
Why “Molestation and Upskirt Photo/Videos”?
It appears that we are imposing increasingly heavy punishments for offences under the sections discussed above - and for good reasons. Below are some numbers gathered from publicly available sources from our SPF website:
Voyeurism:
2021: 467 cases
2022: 424 cases (55 in public transport, 54 in shopping complexes)
2023: 476 cases (54 in public transport, 84 in shopping complexes)
2024: 519 cases
Outrage of Modesty:
2021: 1474 cases
2022: 1610 cases
2023: 1528 cases
2024: 1427 cases
For outrage of modesty, there is a clear downward trend year on year since 2022. Regardless, it would be difficult to assign direct correlation between the increase in penalties and decrease in cases. Like many others who have pointed out, many of such cases go unreported and the true numbers are often difficult to ascertain. Ridership of our public transport increased post-covid, yet the number of offences on our public transport system appeared stable. Again, the true number of offences committed is hard to determine as not all offenders are necessarily caught. Might I add, despite whatever the trend would indicate to us, one case is one too many.
When I first heard the anti-crime broadcasts over the MRT system, I thought to myself — are these offences so rampant that citizens need to be reminded of their severity? There are a myriad of other offences, why these two?
For voyeurism, the PSA serves to remind the public that there exists such offences and that people are still doing it. It serves 3 subpurposes:
The public will have greater awareness about the existence of the offence i.e., if someone stands in close proximity to their victim and behaves in a way inappropriate/abnormal, people might be quick to notice and catch them in the act
The offenders may think twice, or more, about committing the offence
Victims to recognise that they are empowered to sound off for assistance
The inherent nature of voyeurism (in the case of taking upskirt photo/videos) is to do so without getting noticed or caught. This implies that would-be offenders may do so in increasingly sophisticated ways, in tandem with the miniaturisation of cameras as technology progresses. For this reason, such offences are difficult to detect and often rely on vigilant bystanders. As such, there is a need to send a strong deterrent by way of increasing penalties to punish these offences while raising public awareness.
When it comes to outrage of modesty, criminal force is required, or in other words, physical contact would be required.
Needless to say, these two offences taken together, when committed in public spaces like our public transport system and go unpunished, will erode the confidence of the public in our security if the numbers are not kept sufficiently low or even to the extent of eradication. As much as it is important for these offences to be dealt with heavily with punishments, it is important for victims/public to know they will get the assistance they need when they sound it off. A step further is to aim to reduce the number of unreported cases through empowerment and vigilance and ensure that most, if not all, offenders would be dealt with under the full force of the law.
Why not in malls/lifts?
Most of the upskirt photo taking happens at the escalator, where the perpetrator could opportunistically stand behind the victim. Of course, we are not implying that the structural design of the escalator allows for such acts to happen - it is the corrupt minds of these individuals. If we can think of one other place with many escalators - as you have seen in the signposting - yes, the mall. Malls contain far more escalators than the average MRT station yet we do not hear the same PSAs. If anything, by logic, there should be more opportunities for perps to camp around mall escalators to commit their depraved act. Why then are the PSAs not echoed in our malls?
My best guess would be that the PSAs may ruin the average shoppers’ experience. Imagine hearing the anti-crime PSA in malls while we are, amongst others: shopping, dining, watching a movie, having tuition classes. They are likely to cause disruption. Again, there are other avenues to educate, and inform, which may be better received by the wider public.
Lifts, especially during peak hours, are also high-risk zones. These enclosed spaces, often packed and with limited exits, naturally bring people into close physical proximity — an environment that opportunistic offenders could exploit under the guise of crowding. So why don’t we hear the same PSAs in lifts?
Unlike MRT stations which are governed by a centralised transport authority, lifts fall under the management of individual property owners. This decentralised structure makes it difficult to implement a uniform messaging system, particularly for audio announcements. There is also the psychological element to consider. Lifts are already confined spaces. A molestation warning might cause unease or anxiety, rather than promote calm vigilance. In contrast, the MRT system offers a more suitable setting for announcements that are meant to deter while simultaneously reassuring.
That said, we do see quieter efforts elsewhere. Some lift lobbies feature posters on crime prevention or reminders to report inappropriate behaviour. These may not be as prominent as PSAs on the MRT, but they point toward a decentralised, environment-sensitive approach to public messaging.
Closing
The PSAs in our MRT system reflect a deliberate, targeted approach to crime prevention — one that recognises both the situational risks of public transport and the evolving nature of sexual offences. While such messages may not be echoed in malls or lifts due to logistical and contextual reasons, their presence in the MRT serves as a visible (and audible) reminder of our collective vigilance. Crime prevention is not just about stiffer penalties, but also about shaping social awareness, reinforcing norms, and empowering the public — commuters, bystanders, and victims alike — to take notice, speak up, and step in.
References
Penal Code 1871 (Cap. 224, Rev. Ed. 2008), Singapore Statutes Online.
Security on the Mass Rapid Transit (Singapore) – Wikipedia. Retrieved from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Security_on_the_Mass_Rapid_Transit_(Singapore)
With more molestation cases on public transport, first MRT train warning to culprits launched – The Straits Times. Retrieved from: https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/with-more-molestation-cases-on-public-transport-first-mrt-train-warning-culprits-launched
MRT stations broadcasting announcements to warn against upskirt, molestation offences – CNA. Retrieved from: https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/mrt-stations-upskirt-molestation-announcement-warning-4387691
Singapore Police Force – Crime Statistics. Retrieved from: https://www.police.gov.sg/Media-Room/Statistics
Written with the assistance of ChatGPT (OpenAI, 2025).
Disclaimer
This blog post is written for reflective purposes only. It does not constitute legal advice, official commentary, or authoritative guidance. The content is intended to encourage public awareness and discussion, and should not be relied upon to inform legal decisions or personal action. While every effort has been made to ensure accuracy, readers are encouraged to refer to official sources and consult qualified professionals where appropriate.
