It might be real news now
Monday, March 15, 2010 at 5:50PM I wrote previously that Jack Neo's affairs would be news if there were sexual harassment involved; on that count, the affair with Wendy Chong still isn't news, but the non-affair with one of the starlets who refused Neo's advances might be. From Temasek Review:
A visibly traumatized Foyce Le Xuan wrote on her Facebook that she will be making a police report against disgraced movie director Jack Neo for sexual harassment today
I say "might be" because she might still back out from filing a police report. If Le has the evidence, I would encourage her to go ahead and file that report, and I believe everyone should advise her to do so. This is a common yet very under-reported phenomenon, and I think it deserves more play in the media. Corinna Lim, AWARE's Executive Director, has penned a letter in response:
Sexual harassment is any conduct of a sexual nature – verbal, visual or physical – that is unwelcome or offensive. This excludes any behaviour which is consensual – when both parties are willing, there is no harassment.
Some of the women involved reported that Mr. Neo used the carrot of career promotions to get to know them. This is a classic form of sexual harassment known as “Quid Pro Quo” harassment, characterised by an authority figure offering a subordinate career benefits (for instance “a bigger role”) in exchange for sexual favours.
Sexual harassment is very common. In a 2008 study conducted by AWARE, 54% of the 500 participants surveyed reported having been sexually harassed at work. This includes both men and women.
We should educate both men and women that such behaviour is wrong and unacceptable, and ensure victims do not suffer in silence. It is especially pertinent when positions of authority and power are abused, and no one can deny that Jack Neo is influential in the entertainment circle.
At the same time, we should also be wary of judging someone based on accusations alone. If Neo had committed the offenses, then he should be punished under the law, after due process. But jumping to conclusions based on a police report that is yet to be filed is nonsense, it's gossiping, and is entirely counter-productive.
Foyce Le Xuan, Jack Neo, Temasek Review, sexual harassment in AWARE, Law, Singapore, Women's rights 
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Reader Comments (2)
Goodness. We are still stuck on this topic. Singapore must be really boring that now everybody is make a hooha out of an actress, who can cry on cue to make the drama even more drama.
This is Ris Low all over again.
Sighs.
Drama-aside, we would do well to not dismiss potential sexual harassment right away; if she has made a police report, then we shall see how it goes. Just because she may be a "drama queen" does not mean she was not sexually harassed.