Hey, I am a female exchange student who has been in Singapore for a term now. I have managed to fall in love with this country on so many levels during this time. Everything from the food to the and I have come to point where I feel like Singapore is my second home.
Yesterday however and incident occurred that made me pity Singapore and its people. Me and three of my girlfriends where hanging out in Clarke Quay. We were sober and was having a good time. At this point an older very large white man shows up and starts to talk very disrespectfully with us. Initially we ignore him and following I tell him to go away. The incident later escalates and the man starts approaching me. He keeps touching me and I keep pushing him off and at one point I tell him to move back and leave us alone or I would punch him. At this point the man literally has his chest at my head level and says "what are you going to do?". I push him away as hard as I can and start screaming at the top of my voice. I tell him to leave me alone and to stop following me and stop touching me. My friends are screaming at this point too and pulling me off from the scene.
What bothers me is that this happened in the middle of Clarke Quay. We were surrounded by grown men and people and NOT ONE PERSON REACTED!!! One guy even took out his phone to film the situation.
I am not expecting people to act like a night in shining armour, or to come and punch this guy. I am expecting people to have the balls to stand up for you opinions. To react to injustice, to make your voice heard. I expect that weather its men or women to take a stand.
You read about incidents of violence and abuse and even rape happening in public and people not reacting to it. Yesterday I witnessed it. Singapore is a country where a girl could be raped/abused/harassed in the middle of street and nobody would react even though she screams for help on top of her voice.
There may be some of you that will think that I should just have walked away and that I brought this on my self. If had only walked away I would be the victim. I refuse to be the victim. Unlike most girls I made myself heard and hopefully next time the asshole tries to harass girl he will think twice.
I dont feel like a victim, but I feel pity for you Singapore. You pride yourself in artificial decor. You make mandatory millitary service for the men in your country, yet you have failed to build MEN in your country.
I ask of you admin to post this, not as complaint on this country, but an indicator for people to start standing up. To remember to treat your women as your peers because in the end, to quote Mr. Brown "This IS a mans world, but it would be nothing without a women..."
Disappointed Exchange Student
Yesterday however and incident occurred that made me pity Singapore and its people. Me and three of my girlfriends where hanging out in Clarke Quay. We were sober and was having a good time. At this point an older very large white man shows up and starts to talk very disrespectfully with us. Initially we ignore him and following I tell him to go away. The incident later escalates and the man starts approaching me. He keeps touching me and I keep pushing him off and at one point I tell him to move back and leave us alone or I would punch him. At this point the man literally has his chest at my head level and says "what are you going to do?". I push him away as hard as I can and start screaming at the top of my voice. I tell him to leave me alone and to stop following me and stop touching me. My friends are screaming at this point too and pulling me off from the scene.
What bothers me is that this happened in the middle of Clarke Quay. We were surrounded by grown men and people and NOT ONE PERSON REACTED!!! One guy even took out his phone to film the situation.
I am not expecting people to act like a night in shining armour, or to come and punch this guy. I am expecting people to have the balls to stand up for you opinions. To react to injustice, to make your voice heard. I expect that weather its men or women to take a stand.
You read about incidents of violence and abuse and even rape happening in public and people not reacting to it. Yesterday I witnessed it. Singapore is a country where a girl could be raped/abused/harassed in the middle of street and nobody would react even though she screams for help on top of her voice.
There may be some of you that will think that I should just have walked away and that I brought this on my self. If had only walked away I would be the victim. I refuse to be the victim. Unlike most girls I made myself heard and hopefully next time the asshole tries to harass girl he will think twice.
I dont feel like a victim, but I feel pity for you Singapore. You pride yourself in artificial decor. You make mandatory millitary service for the men in your country, yet you have failed to build MEN in your country.
I ask of you admin to post this, not as complaint on this country, but an indicator for people to start standing up. To remember to treat your women as your peers because in the end, to quote Mr. Brown "This IS a mans world, but it would be nothing without a women..."
Disappointed Exchange Student
