Singapore legislation

Clause 128

Offences relating to prostitution

(1)

Any person who —

(a)

sells, lets for hire or otherwise disposes of or buys or hires or otherwise obtains possession of any woman or girl with intent that such woman or girl shall be employed or used for the purpose of prostitution either within or without Singapore, or knowing or having reason to believe that such woman or girl will be so employed or used;

(b)

procures any woman or girl to have either within or without Singapore carnal connection except by way of marriage with any male person or for the purpose of prostitution either within or without Singapore;

(c)

by threats or intimidation procures any woman or girl to have carnal connection except by way of marriage with any male person either within or without Singapore;

(d)

by or under any false pretence, false representation, or fraudulent or deceitful means made or used either within or without Singapore, brings or assists in bringing into, or takes out of or assists in taking out of, Singapore any woman or girl with intent that such woman or girl shall be employed or used for the purpose of prostitution either within or without Singapore or knowing or having reason to believe that such woman or girl will be so employed or used;

(e)

brings into Singapore, receives or harbours any woman or girl knowing or having reason to believe that such woman or girl has been procured for the purpose of having carnal connection except by way of marriage, with any male person or for the purpose of prostitution either within or without Singapore and with intent to aid such purpose;

(f)

knowing or having reason to believe that any woman or girl has been procured by threats or intimidation for the purpose of having carnal connection except by way of marriage with any male person, either within or without Singapore, receives or harbours such woman or girl with intent to aid such purpose;

(g)

knowing or having reason to believe that any woman or girl has been brought into Singapore in breach of paragraph (d) of this subsection or has been sold or purchased in breach of paragraph (a) of this subsection receives or harbours such woman or girl with intent that she may be employed or used for the purpose of prostitution either within or without Singapore;

(h)

detains any woman or girl in a brothel against her will;

(i)

detains any woman or girl in any place against her will with intent that she may be employed or used for the purpose of prostitution or for any unlawful or immoral purpose;

(j)

has carnal connection with any girl under the age of sixteen years except by way of marriage; or

(k)

attempts to do any act in contravention of this section,shall be guilty of an offence and shall on conviction be punished with imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years and shall also be liable to a fine not exceeding ten thousand dollars.

(2)

Any male person who is convicted of a second or subsequent offence under paragraph (a), (b), (c), (d), (e), (f) or (g) of subsection (1) of this section shall in addition to any term of imprisonment awarded in respect of such offence be liable to caning.

(3)

For the purposes of this section it shall be presumed until the contrary is proved that —

(a)

a person who takes or causes to be taken into a brothel any woman or girl has disposed of such woman or girl with the intent or knowledge mentioned in paragraph (a) of subsection (1) of this section;

(b)

a person who receives any woman or girl into a brothel has obtained possession of such woman or girl with the intent or knowledge mentioned in paragraph (a) of subsection (1) of this section;

(c)

a person has detained a woman or girl in any brothel or in any place against her will if, with intent to compel or induce her to remain therein, such person —

(i)

withholds from such woman or girl any wearing apparel or any other property belonging to her or any wearing apparel commonly or last used by her; or

(ii)

where wearing apparel or any other property has been lent or hired out or supplied to such woman or girl, threatens such woman or girl with legal proceedings if she takes away such wearing apparel or property; or

(iii)

threatens such woman or girl with legal proceedings for the recovery of any debt or alleged debt or uses any other threat whatsoever.

(4)

Reasonable cause to believe that a girl was of or above the age of sixteen years shall not be a defence to a charge of an offence under paragraph (j) of subsection (1) of this section:Provided that in the case of a man of twenty-four years of age or under the presence of reasonable cause to believe that the girl was over the age of sixteen years shall be a valid defence on the first occasion on which he is charged with such an offence.

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