Show red card to family violence, says SportCares

SINGAPORE — Some 130 girls and young women from low-income families took part in a one-day football camp, “Play Like a Girl, Break The Silence — Against Family Violence” yesterday hosted by the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF), the United States Embassy Singapore, and SportCares at the Serangoon Stadium.

The camp, which was attended by Baey Yam Keng, Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY) and Stephanie Syptak-Ramnath, Deputy Chief of Mission, US Embassy Singapore, was aimed at raising awareness about gender-based violence, and empowering young women.

Participants donned orange jerseys in a show of solidarity with the United Nations #OrangeTheWorld initiative to end violence against women and girls. National hurdler Dipna Lim-Prasad, former national netballer Micky Lin and taekwondo exponent Chelsea Sim also took part in a sharing session on cultivating self-confidence and self-respect.

“I want the girls to know that, like me, each of them is strong enough, skilful enough and capable enough and that they are worthy of the accolades they deserve,” said Lim-Prasad.

“I hope that whatever I’ve shared earlier can help instil worth in the girls, because if someone doesn’t feel worthy, they might be subjected to something that they don’t deserve, just because they don’t have the courage or strength to say otherwise.” NOAH TAN