Pro bono legal aid, helpline among planned initiatives to help victims of online harms

SINGAPORE – Victims of on the web harms can assume various solutions focused to supporting them, these kinds of as absolutely free legal support and a helpline, to be available by the stop of 2022.

On the internet harms incorporate remaining stalked almost and cyber bullied, and befriended by persons who use fake identities.

The future initiatives had been exposed at an party organised by Daylight AfA, also known as the Singapore With each other Alliance for Action to deal with on the web harms, in particular all those targeted at women and women, on Wednesday (July 27).

The cross-sector alliance, begun by the Ministry of Communications and Information (MCI) in July 2021, had a a person-year tenure that finished on Wednesday.

But some of its do the job will go on, these types of as an arrangement with the Legislation Modern society Professional Bono Providers to have about 100 volunteer attorneys provide pro bono aid through lawful clinics to victims of on-line harms.

Information of the scheme, this kind of as how victims can signal up for the legal clinics, are still in the will work, but it is envisioned to be operational by the close of this 12 months.

Madam Hazlina Abdul Halim, who is president of non-profit organisation Singapore Muslim Women’s Affiliation and a member of Sunlight AfA, mentioned the service will be administered by charity SG Her Empowerment (She), which was established up in April by several associates of Daylight AfA.

The charity will also work with the Singapore Council of Women’s Organisations to provide assistance companies to victims, these as a focused helpline.

Other initiatives in the will work by the charity involve a manual on on-line harms.

This will be applied to facilitate coaching sessions for She staff and capable counsellors in its spouse organisations to aid victims, explained Madam Hazlina.

The unveiling of these upcoming ideas follows MCI’s announcement in June on proposed rules to improve on the internet safety for users.

The new proposed regulations involve demanding selected social media platforms to apply local community expectations and content material moderation processes, so as to minimise users’ threat of publicity to harming on the internet information. A community consultation on them is ongoing.