Re-enactment of incest rape scene and more at NUS camp: Stomp has been reporting sexually-charged orientation games for years -- yet problem still persists

One student was asked whose bodily fluids she would like to drink, while another watched her peers re-enact an incestuous rape scene.

According to The New Paper, these were just two examples of the sexualised activities that hundreds of freshmen were made to participate in some of the National University of Singapore's (NUS) orientation camps in the past two months.

Some students said they attended the camps to make friends, but were instead pressured to take part in increasingly-sexualised activities.

Similar highly-sexual games over the years

Many similar cases at polytechnics and universities have been reported on Stomp over the years, but the games still remain very sexually-charged.

In March 2016, Stomper Anonymous also alerted us to a similar forfeit at a tertiary camp. In the clip sent to Stomp, a guy was also similarly made to do pumping exercises on top of a girl, this time with his crotch in her face. Peers encouraged contact by pushing his body down and telling her 'not to cover her face'.

According to an NUS blog, camp facilitators in 2014 have made girls lick whipped cream off a guy's chest or neck -- after he was stripped to his shorts before being blindfolded and bound with tape.

There was also a sexual-themed activity called 'Secret Pals'. “They wake the participants up at 3 a.m. and blindfold them, and make the girl sit on the guy’s lap," an organiser said

Other games include passing MnM chocolates to each other using only their mouths.

Stomper N also wrote in in 2014, where students were made to take off their shirts at chalets.

Back in 2011, Stomp reported about a push-up forfeit at Singapore Institute of Management (SIM) University's orientation camp, which also generated much talk. Guys were made to do the exercise while lying on top of girls.

In 2009, Stomper Kenneyboy46 also highlighted to Stomp about a lewd game at an Nanyang Technological University (NTU) orientation camp, which shows a girl eating bananas held at a position by a guy.

In 2006, The Straits Times  reported that activities involving lip contact and the washing of armpits also at NTU.

According to AsiaOne, students at NUS and NTU said their camps feature more risque forfeits, while Singapore Management University (SMU) students said theirs were milder.

'Uncomfortable' questions and lewd cheers

In the most recent incident, 19-year-old freshman Chloe (*names have been changed) told The New Paper that she left the room after she became uncomfortable during an activity called "burning bridges" that required her to answer inappropriate questions.

These questions include which man's bodily fluid she would want to drink, who among them is the sluttiest, and who would never get married and die alone.

On top of that, cheers have also included obscene lyrics like references to the male genitalia.

Chloe said:

"Every time I didn't take part, I was so scared that the orientation group would write me off as a prude and ostracise me.

"(The cheers) were so senseless. I hated them, but apparently it's tradition that has been passed down from previous batches."

NUSWhispers Facebook page apparently also had posts about a cheer that "simulated a group of guys ejaculating on a girl's face".

Over the years, despite numerous reports on Stomp and other media outlets, complaints and the universities promising to investigate and take action against offenders, it seems like nothing much has changed.

Another 19-year-old freshman, Kim*, told TNP that she was grabbed from multiple directions by different students during a game that involved soap and water.

"I didn't even know where they were touching. It was so physical. I ended up in pain, and it was a scary experience," she said.

She recounted yet another uncomfortable forfeit, which was re-enacting an incestuous rape scene. According to her, a male and a female student were made to act out a rape scene between a man and his sister.

Kim described:

"The girl had to lie on the floor, then the guy pretended to kick open a door and say, 'Kor kor (big brother) coming.' The girl had to respond, 'Mei mei (little sister) don't want'.

"He then kicked open her legs and did push-ups while lying on top of her.

"The girl looked very uncomfortable and covered her face throughout the whole thing."

The incident traumatised Kim, who said that she wanted to cry during many of the activities.

"Why in the world would they have such ideas? I wanted to get out so badly.

"A group of us girls wanted to leave, but the orientation group leader stopped us and told us to finish playing the game.

"All I wanted was to make new friends. I wonder why we even have such activities?

"But the camp is over, and we cannot do anything about it."

The orientation group leaders are seniors in NUS, and the camp attended by Kim was organised by the NUS Students' Union two weeks ago.

TNP was alerted to the activities by a reader, who said in an e-mail that there were "incidents of sexual harassment" during the camps, as well as the "trivialisation of rape".

Aware says it promotes unhealthy trivialisation of sexual violence

Ms Jolene Tan, 33, programmes and communications senior manager for the Association of Women for Action and Research (Aware), said such activities are uncalled for, and that more should be done to protect the students.

"Such activities are very inappropriate, and promote bullying, the objectification of women, and is an unhealthy trivialisation of sexual violence," she told The New Paper.

"They are alienating rather than bonding, and potentially traumatising to anyone there who has experienced sexual assault previously."

She added that new students feel pressured to take part or be left out, resulting in many choosing not to voice their discomfort.

"Even if they are uncomfortable, they won't say it because they don't want to be a spoilsport.

"The whole culture needs to change. There needs to be a policy in institutions that is explicit about harassment."

Lawyers say police reports should have been made

Criminal lawyer Ravinderpal Singh of Kalco Law said such activities could easily be considered to be a violation of the Penal Code, which criminalises any word or gesture intended to insult the modesty of a woman.

"If the woman takes offence and feels outraged, she can make a police report," he said.

"The school can also be liable if it is negligent, and fails to provide a safe environment."

He added that the school has a duty to ensure the well-being of all students.

"You cannot evade liability even (if students sign) a form," he said.

"There definitely should be checks done by the school to ensure that such things do not happen."

Another criminal lawyer, Mr T.M. Sinnadurai of Regent Law, said: "The words they used are gross and could be considered offensive. In my opinion, it is wrong.

"Even if there is no physical touching, it is still a violation."

The father of a 20-year-old girl said that if his daughter were placed in a similar situation, he would immediately make a police report.

"I would be outraged if someone did something like that to my daughter," he said.

NUS says it's looking into the matter

An NUS spokesman said that it is currently looking into the issue.

"At NUS, orientation activities serve to welcome freshmen and integrate them into the university community and campus life," said the spokesman.

"Participation in orientation camps and activities is voluntary. Our student leaders are constantly reminded to develop meaningful orientation activities that will help forge new friendships among our freshmen.

"Student organisers of orientation camps are also thoroughly briefed on the guidelines for orientation activities.

"The NUS Office of Student Affairs (OSA) has recently received feedback in relation to some inappropriate orientation activities.

"It is currently looking into the feedback and working with the faculty concerned. Freshmen are also advised to report inappropriate orientation activities to OSA, so that the office could look into their concerns.

"The University takes violations of the Student Code of Conduct very seriously. Disciplinary action will be taken against students who breach these guidelines."

Each time, the replies from the universities to queries follow a similar pattern.

The universities would highlight the guidelines in place and that they do not condone such behaviour. They would then promise to investigate and take action against anyone who breaches the rules.

They also mention that participation in the camps is voluntary. But freshmen say they feel pressured to take part for fear of being ostracised.

It has been decades, but the games remain similarly sexually-charged.