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An Act to protect persons against harassment and unlawful stalking and false statements of fact, and to provide for the establishment of the Protection from Harassment Court. [17/2019] [15 November 2014] PART 1. PRELIMINARY.
- Subsidiary Legislation - Singapore Statutes Online
Singapore Statutes Online is provided by the Legislation...
- Subsidiary Legislation - Singapore Statutes Online
- Offences Covered Under The Poha in Singapore
- Penalties and Liability Under The Poha For Acts of Harassment in Singapore
- Other Remedies Provided Under The Poha
- The Protection from Harassment Courts
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Causing harassment, alarm and distress
The POHA criminalises behaviour that harasses, alarms or distresses a victim. Under section 3 of the POHA, a person who threatens, abuses or insults (whether by behaviour, words or other forms of communication) with the intention to cause and did cause another person harassment, alarm or distress, will be guilty of an offence. For example, co-worker X loudly and graphically describes X’s desire to have a sexual relationship with co-worker Y to other co-workers in an insulting manner. X does s...
Causing fear or provocation of violence
It is an offence to intentionally cause someone to believe, or behave in a manner where such a person is likely to believe, that unlawful violence will be used against him. This offence is different from the one above as there is a threat of physical violencewhile harassment, alarm or distress are non-physical forms of harm. For instance, X posts threatening and abusive remarks on a publicly-accessible website. Subsequently, on the same website, X writes a post containing Y’s identity informa...
Unlawful stalking
Unlawful stalking is an offence under the POHA. A course of conduct will be considered unlawful stalking where it: 1. Involves acts or omissions associated with stalking; 2. Causes harassment, alarm or distress; and 3. Was intended or was known to be likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress. Examples of acts of unlawful stalking include: 1. Following someone 2. Loitering in areas near someone’s home or business 3. Giving or leaving someone gifts despite being asked to stop doing so 4. Ke...
Individuals and entities may both be held liable for harassment-related offences
Both individuals and entities (such as companies) can be held liable for harassment-related offences.
Prosecution of overseas offenders
It is possible to prosecute overseas POHA offenders if at the time of the offence: 1. The victim was in Singapore; and 2. The offender knew or had reason to believe that the victim was in Singapore. For example, where an overseas offender, knowing that the victim studies in Singapore, circulates revealing photographs of a victim (who is in Singapore) to her classmates, he/she may be charged and convicted of unlawful stalking in Singapore.
Enhanced penalties for offences against certain victims
The penalties for offences against two particular groups of victims are stiffer. The maximum penalties for offences against vulnerable persons, i.e. persons with mental and physical disabilities, regardless of age, is doubled. For example, an individual or entity who commits the offence of causing fear or provocation of violence against a vulnerable person can be fined up to $10,000, and/or jailed for up to 24 months. Enhanced penalties also apply where the victim is in an intimate relationsh...
Remedies for victims of harassment
Apart from criminal punishment, a harasser may be sued by the victim in court in a civil action for damages. The victim may also apply for a Protection Order (PO)or Enhanced Protection Order (EPO) to prevent the harasser from continuing his unwanted behaviour or communication. As family members of the victim may be at risk of harassment as well, POs and EPOs do not cover only victims, but also persons related to the victim. In addition, the police may make an arrest without a warrant where th...
Remedies for victims of falsehoods
Both private entities and individuals who have been subjected to acts of falsehoods are able to obtain remedies against such acts under POHA. A summary of the available orders to combat the spread of falsehoods is set down below: 1. Stop publication order. This requires the offender to stop publishing the false statement by a specified time. 2. General and targeted correction order. This requires the offender to publish a correction notice within a specified time, in a specified form. 3. Disa...
The Protection from Harassment Courts provides a “one-stop solution” for harassment victims in Singapore. It hears both criminal and civil cases under POHA, and offers simplified filing procedures and expedited case timelines to harassment victims seeking compensation/or and court orders. For claims of damages up to $20,000 and applications for POs...
Learn about the offences, penalties and remedies under the POHA, which protects people from harassment or stalking online or in real life. Find out how to sue your harasser for compensation in the Protection from Harassment Courts (PHC).
X writes a post on a social media platform making abusive and insulting remarks about Y’s alleged sexual promiscuity. In a subsequent post, X includes Y’s photographs and personal mobile number, intending to cause Y harassment by facilitating the identification or contacting of Y by others.
3.—. (1) An individual or entity must not, with intent to cause harassment, alarm or distress to another person (called in this section the target person), by any means —. ( a) use any threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour; ( b) make any threatening, abusive or insulting communication; or.
Learn how to file and serve a protection from harassment application in Singapore under the simplified or standard proceedings. Find out the eligibility, fees, documents and steps for different types of cases.
Learn about the types of cases the Protection from Harassment Court (PHC) can hear and how to file for protection from harassment. The PHC can hear cases involving acts causing harassment, alarm, distress, stalking, false statements and more.
Learn how to file, respond, appeal or enforce a protection from harassment order in Singapore. The web page does not mention poha singapore or any related terms.
