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Following is a question by the Hon Wong Sing-chi and a written reply by the Secretary for Security, Mr Ambrose S K Lee, in the Legislative Council today (February 1):
Question:
The information provided by the authorities to this Council on April 6 and October 19, 2011 indicated a rising trend in both indecent assault and "under skirt photo-taking" cases which had occurred in the railway premises each year since 2006. Moreover, a Member of this Council raised a question on April 6, 2011 enquiring whether the Government or MTR Corporation Limited (MTRCL) would consider setting up a dedicated team to handle the sex crimes which occurred in the railway premises (sex crimes). The authorities responded that "the Railway Police District adopts a flexible deployment of manpower. In addition to high profile anti-crime patrols at various crime blackspots, uniformed and plain-clothes officers carry out special joint operations targeting at sex crimes". In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(a) focusing on the rising trend in sex crimes, whether the authorities will seriously reconsider setting up a dedicated team by the Government or MTRCL to handle sex crimes, and providing training for MTRCL staff to enable them to have sufficient knowledge and sensitivity to handle sex crimes; if they will, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
(b) of the number of sex crimes which occurred last year; the respective numbers of reported cases involved and people arrested, with a breakdown by type of offences;
(c) of the details of the aforesaid special joint operations carried out by uniformed and plain-clothes officers; whether it knows if the Police and MTRCL have since 2006 separately or jointly conducted regular reviews of the work of combating sex crimes; if they have, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; given the rising trend in sex crimes, whether the authorities have assessed if there is still much room for improvement in the work of the Police and MTRCL; if the assessment result is in the affirmative, of the specific timetable for introducing improvement;
(d) given that the authorities indicated in their reply to my question on October 19, 2011 that two sets of posters and notices on sex crimes ("Don't be a Silent Victim, Report Indecent Assault" and "Don't be silent. Cry out immediately to report indecent assault, when considered safe") had been put up at different MTR stations at alternate intervals, and the newly-designed anti-crime posters "Stay alert, watch out" had been put up at stations and in some train compartments, whether it knows if the aforesaid two sets of posters and notices on sex crimes have been put up in MTR train compartments; if the posters and notices have not been put up, the reasons for that; the details (including the numbers and their percentages in the total numbers of MTR trains and train compartments respectively) of those train compartments in which the "Stay alert, watch out" posters have been put up, broken down by MTR railway line;
(e) given that a concern group on women's right has pointed out earlier that as the balustrades on both sides of the escalators at certain MTR stations (including Central Station, Hung Hom Station, Austin Station, Kowloon Tong Station and Hang Hau Station) are made of transparent glass or coated with highly-translucent frosted materials, those stations have become "blackspots" for women being peeped on and taken sneak shots, if it knows whether MTRCL has taken follow-up actions with regard to the design problems of the escalators at the aforesaid five stations; if it has, of the details and progress of the improvement measures; if not, whether it will immediately introduce improvement measures focusing on these problems; moreover, apart from the aforesaid five stations, whether MTRCL has reviewed the design of the escalators at other stations and introduced improvement measures immediately to target at these problems; and
(f) how the authorities follow up the specific recommendations made by the concern group in (e) to MTRCL including taking the initiative to publish crime-related information (the time and places of occurrence as well as the types of cases, etc.), improving the spatial design in the railway premises, as well as setting prevention and combating sexual violence crimes as a corporate responsibility, and list the follow-up actions to each recommendation?
Reply:
President,
(a) In addition to having regular anti-crime meetings with the MTR Corporation Limited (MTRCL), the Railway Police District exchanges information with the MTRCL concerning the latest crime trend in their day-to-day work and gives suggestions on how to prevent and combat crimes in MTRCL premises. Furthermore, officers from the Railway Police District conduct seminars for MTRCL staff and other stakeholders on preventing and combating crime, and provide them with updates of the crime situation and make recommendations on crime prevention.
Uniformed officers from the Railway Police District are despatched to conduct targeted patrols, having regard to crime trends. MTRCL staff are also actively on guard in railway stations, rendering assistance in curbing crimes in railway areas. In addition, a Task Force of plain-clothes officers, formed by the Railway Police District, carry out joint operations with relevant police districts in the light of the prevailing crime trend, focusing on the combat of major crimes in the Railway Police District, including sex crimes.
(b) Figures of sex crimes that occurred in railway premises and the number of persons arrested in 2011 are in the table below.
Figures of Sex Crimes that Occurred in the Railway Police District and the Number of Persons Arrested in 2011
________________________
Indecent assault 167 (111)
Under-skirt photo-taking 78 (75)
___________________________ _________
Total 245 (186)
( ) denotes number of persons arrested
(c) The Railway Police District flexibly deploys the manpower. In addition to high profile anti-crime patrols at various spots, uniformed and plain-clothes officers carry out special joint operations targeting at sex crimes. To combat crimes, these joint operations are strategic manoeuvres conducted by the Railway Police District at different locations in MTR stations upon analysis of the intelligence collected.
The Railway Police District and the MTRCL hold regular anti-crime meetings to share information about the latest crime trend and intelligence and to deliberate on specific strategies to combat crimes. They also organise regular anti-crime publicity activities with Districts and the Fight Crime Committee.
The Railway Police District and the MTRCL have collaborated to produce posters on anti-sex crime. A featured programme was also broadcast in the Police Magazine in 2011, in which the public were advised to be mindful of the latest modus operandi of major crimes in the railway system with a view to raising commuters' crime awareness and vigilance. It is believed that it is the reason for an increase in the number of reported cases in recent years.
The Police and the MTRCL will continue to review the trend and situation of the above crimes and actively join hands to combat crimes.
(d) According to the information provided by the Transport and Housing Bureau, MTRCL collaborates with the Railway Police District to organise annual anti-crime campaigns to promote prevention of crimes in recent years. To cite the years of 2010 and 2011 as examples, the theme of the campaigns was "Stay alert, watch out". During the one-month campaign period, MTRCL promoted the message by putting up "Stay alert, watch out" stickers in all MTR stations and in some trains on the Kwun Tong Line, Tsuen Wan Line, Island Line and Tseung Kwan O Line. Besides, a special squad of "Senior Crime Fighters" comprising senior citizens visited different MTR stations to remind passengers to stay alert to prevent crime.
Moreover, the poster produced by the MTRCL and the Police titled "Don't be a Silent Victim, Report Indecent Assault" was displayed in all MTR stations in rotation in mid-2011 to encourage victims of indecent assault to report offences. The locations and the quantity of posters put up at individual stations are determined in a co-ordinated manner taking into account the need to provide other information to passengers such as safety and passenger information by the MTRCL.
Starting 2009, the MTRCL put up another set of poster titled "Don't be silent. Cry out immediately to report indecent assault, when considered safe" in front of entry gates in different MTR stations to remind passengers to stay alert to prevent crime. The same message is also being disseminated through passenger information displays.
The MTRCL will continue to work with the Police to pro-actively review the effectiveness of the measures from time to time to curb crime in the railway network.
(e and f) MTRCL has a plan to carry out improvements to the glass panels of the relevant lifts, escalators, staircases, and both sides of the handrails at Central, Hung Hom, Austin, Kowloon Tong and Hang Hau stations. Non-transparent stickers will be installed on the glass panels. The improvement works have started in January this year and are expected to be completed by the second quarter of this year. In addition, the MTRCL reviews its station facilities regularly to ensure they are in good condition. The MTRCL will continue to closely work with the Railway Police District to provide safe, reliable and comfortable railway service for the people of Hong Kong and to ensure law and order on the railway premises.
Ends/Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Issued at HKT 16:54
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