The National University of Singapore Students' Union (NUSSU) has announced plans to implement night patrols to deter Peeping Toms and enhance safety measures on campus.

According to The Straits Times , the move comes after a 23-year-old NUS student Monica Baey revealed in April 2019 that she was filmed while showering in a hostel toilet by a fellow student, Nicholas Lim.

The same period also saw four other cases of voyeurism occur, with three more at Nanyang Technological University (NTU) and an additional case at NUS.

The move is expected to be implemented during the freshmen orientation camp period, beginning in June and ending on the first week of August.

What will the move entail?

The patrol will involve the deployment of a male and female member from NUSSU's executive committee, together with a campus security guard, ST reported.

They will patrol the corridors and toilets of multi-purpose rooms, residential colleges and residence halls where freshmen and orientation leaders will be living during the orientation period.

They will also be ensuring that students are not drinking, smoking or having two or more students in a room prior to sleeping.

NUSSU President Benjamin Loo told ST:

"If we find students breaking the rules, we will report them to the NUS Office of Campus Security. The union is not in a position to take charge of disciplinary measures. We hope the student patrol will act as a deterrent to any unwanted behaviour."

Students question impact of patrolling

Some students have since pointed out the impact that the patrol would have on the orientation and questioned the effectiveness of engaging in such patrols.

An 18-year-old student, Stephanie Cheng told ST that while the patrol was a welcome move, its presence could limit orientation activities, making groups more conservative.

Another 22-year-old student, Lune Loh, added that educating students on consent was key in clamping down on the source of the problem, misogyny, and that patrolling was only a deterrent.

Her sentiments were echoed by 20-year-old Nandika Lodh from NTU, who pointed out that the patrols would not guarantee total safety at the orientation camps.

A 20-year-old NTU student, Lim Shi Yin, voiced her support for the plan, however, adding that she hoped NTU will implement a similar measure so as to raise awareness about campus security.

Communication key to preventing backlash from students

Loo added that communicating the measures well to student leaders was key to preventing backlash, ST highlighted.

He added that he did not want freshmen to think the union had bad intentions or was planning to stop their camp, and that such measures were for their own safety.

Working with the Dean of Students to finalise the details

NUS Dean of Students, Associate Professor Peter Pang, said the university will work closely with NUSSU to finalise the details of the initiative, ST further reported.

Loo had suggested the idea of a patrol to the university's Office of Student Affairs on May 8.

The plan is expected to be finalised on May 15, at a meeting between members of the union, including Loo, and officials from the Office of Student Affairs and Office of Housing Services.

NUSSU's plan will also involve the establishment of a 24-hour hotline for first-year undergraduates to call in the event they need help or are in distress.

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