Schools must do more to protect interns from harassment

While I am relieved to hear that more schools have barred the unnamed tech firm from their internship portals (2 schools join NUS to bar firm from their internship portals; July 24), I was wondering if more can be done by the schools to prevent such untoward incidents from recurring.

Thankfully, the unnamed female studentalerted her school on the allegedly indecent proposal made by the male director of the firm. One can only imagine the serious consequences had she been tricked into taking up the offer.

It was also alarming to find out that complaints against the firm go back as far as 2016.

One can only hope that no other female interns were subjected to any incidents of a sexual nature.

On this note, I hope that all the schools will conduct an immediate investigation and interview all the female interns who had previously worked for the company.

They should then make reports to the relevant authorities if needed.

In addition, the tech company and the director should be named on the internship portals to act as a warning to all future interns.

Naming the director will also prevent him from setting up another company and continuing his alleged actions.

Sebastian Tan Gee How

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on July 26, 2018, with the headline Schools must do more to protect interns from harassment. Subscribe