CARRY THAT WEIGHT

Currently, there is a big story blowing up in Singapore. It's about an undergraduate, Monica Baey (@monicabaey), who lives in one of the dorms of NUS, Eusoff Hall. NUS is the National University of Singapore, the top university in Singapore, and regularly ranked among the top in the world, in terms of academic performance. Monica was filmed while showering, by a fellow NUS undergrad who lives in Eusoff Hall, a Nicholas Lim studying chemical engineering. His only excuse? He was under the influence of alcohol. Bro, in what universe does being intoxicated lead you to even consider filming someone in the shower, and think it's the right thing to do? If you're that intoxicated, you probably wouldn't be capable. If you weren't that intoxicated, you're in control of your actions. The worst part is he was only suspended for one semester, during which he's apparently already gotten a job in the insurance industry, and the school has said they wouldn't take any further action against him unless he makes another wrong move in school. Already, there are comments on her Instagram saying that she's trying to seek attention and that he's already sought recourse by writing a letter of "apology", so his future shouldn't be further destroyed. First of all, he didn't even proofread his letter, it's been posted on her social media, and even as an outsider I feel like he only wrote it in a flurry because he had to, not because he felt any remorse. Secondly, he filmed someone in the shower and ruined her mental health and safety, and she has to seek redress with therapy and whatnot, and his future is the one at stake???? Third, why should a sexual offender be able to commit a crime twice before being justly punished? Was the first victim's duress not enough? When it comes to drugs, there's no second chance in Singapore. Why is there a discrepancy for sexual criminal activity? Is it the patriarchy in Singapore manifesting itself? Monica has been interviewed and has spoken on her own social media. Hundreds if not thousands of comments from the other universities and schools in Singapore have piped in, saying that the universities in Singapore, much like every other establishment on this island, care so much about their public image, that this has definitely not been the first few times this has happened. Victims have always been told to keep quiet any time this happens, and that's why perpetrators keep doing it. There is no deterrent if the institutions don't take it seriously enough to side with the victims. It's time that Singapore grew up and moved forward with the rest of the progressive world. Remember perpetrators' names. Remember Brock Turner. Remember Nicholas Lim. We're going to believe women.