Daniel the “emotional support duck” is a pretty big deal, both in the animal and human world.

Its 15 minutes of fame began after it was spotted on a flight in the United States – from Charlotte to Asheville, North Carolina – waddling in the plane in a nappy and some stylish red shoes.

Daniel is said to help its 37-year-old owner Carla Fitzgerald battle the post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) she has had since an accident in 2013.

The use of “emotional support animals” has become big business recently – particularly in the US – and it is not just ducks such as Daniel that humans have claimed make a helpful addition to their day-to-day lives.

There have also been reports of emotional-support pigs, cats, turkeys, chickens and even miniature horses.

It seems that all types of animals are increasingly being used to assist patients – in the belief that they can help people with autism, PTSD and other conditions function in their everyday lives.

But, of course, despite this new wave of popularity, interacting with animals has long been considered to be good for people.

There has also been issues raised with the number of animals used in this way – with some animal researchers raising animal welfare concerns.

Therapists have also expressed their concern at the rise of “emotional-support animals” – with many in the profession feeling that not all of the animals used are legitimate “support animals”.

LOVING PETS

“Emotional-support animal” or “pet” aside, it is maybe obvious that one of the main benefits that comes from a friendship with animals is that they are a source of “non- verbal” and “non-judgmental” companionship for both adults and children.

These are friends who will be there for us day in, day out. Friends who will always be up for a walk, chin rub, or a game of fetch.

Many pet owners also describe the “social lubricant” effect of their pets – reporting lower incidence of loneliness and depression.

Dog owners typically – but not always – have higher levels of physical exercise than non-owners.

And animal contact is often associated with exposure to the outdoors and natural stimuli – which is considered to be beneficial for human health and well-being.

Novel situations and experiences also often result from interactions with animals – which can create enjoyable and motivational learning opportunities for children.

FIVER THE RABBIT

Contact with animals is also widely regarded as an essential and natural part of childhood. I still remember my very first pet rabbit with deep affection.

That rabbit, Fiver, – yes, I was a Watership Down fan – represented my first real responsibility for another living being. Fiver was also a great friend and confidant.

And it is this realisation, that animals can be good for children’s development, that explains why so many recent studies have focused on interactions between animals and children.

This has led to animals increasingly being viewed and employed as useful partners in the educational and emotional development of children.

There are now, for example, many schemes where children read to dogs to develop their reading skills with a canine “listener”.

But while dogs and horses are the most commonly used species for therapeutic and educational interactions, a range of other animals – ducks and miniature horses aside – has also been used successfully.

A recent study, for example, examined how interactions with classroom guinea pigs had an impact on children with autism.

And it was shown that for these children, spending time with the guinea pigs resulted in significantly improved social skills and motivation for learning.

ANIMAL ATTRIBUTES

There are also other identified developmental benefits for children interacting with animals.

Evidence suggests that children exposed to animals may have improved immune systems and a reduced incidence of allergies.

Therapy animals have also been shown to reduce pain in hospitalised children. And animals appear to enhance the social, emotional and cognitive development of children and aid the development of empathy.

Exposure to companion animals has additionally been shown to boost levels of responsibility, self-esteem and autonomy in children.

But, of course, despite the benefits to both children and adults, the welfare of animals used in therapeutic, educational or other kinds of interactions is also important.

Swimming with dolphins and direct encounters with other exotic species have previously attracted attention for therapeutic value – especially for children with physical and intellectual disabilities – though recent guidelines now strongly advise against the use of such species.

This is both due to animal welfare concerns and concerns for human participants.

This is why any animal involved in such interactions needs positive and ethical training, along with high health and welfare standards.

All of which will help to make sure that the animals people are engaging with in these environments are happy animals – which can then in turn help to create happy humans.

WHAT ANIMALS DO FOR CHILDREN

1 For children with autism, spending time with guinea pigs has resulted in significantly improved social skills and motivation for learning.

2 Children exposed to animals may have improved immune systems and a reduced incidence of allergies.

3 Therapy animals have been shown to reduce pain in hospitalised children.

4 Animals appear to enhance the social, emotional and cognitive development of children and aid the development of empathy.

5 Exposure to companion animals has been shown to boost levels of responsibility, self-esteem and autonomy in children.

Jacqueline Boyd

The author is a lecturer in animal science at Nottingham Trent University

This article first appeared in The Conversation at http://theconversation.com , a website which carries analysis by academics and researchers.

This article was first published on Apr 03, 2017.
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Despite the availability of several legitimate options online, many people in Singapore are still illegally getting their movie and music fix on the Internet for free.

A survey of 1,000 people in May last year found that 63 per cent of respondents here said they were downloading or streaming content unauthorised at the time. The findings were released in February by consultancy Ernst & Young.

Top of the list of pirated content were TV shows and movies. Some 51 per cent of respondents admitted to downloading these files illegally.

Accessing music files online unauthorised came in second, with 48 per cent of people doing so.

Getting games illegally online was third, at 38 per cent.

This was despite the launch of several legal options here in recent years.

Video subscription services Netflix, Hooq and CatchPlay were all launched last year.

For music, Apple Music and Spotify were launched in 2015 and 2013, respectively. And online video game store Steam allowed gamers here to buy digital games in Singapore dollars from 2014.

But Mr Bryan Tan, technology partner at law firm Pinsent Masons MPillay, said that even with the rise of subscription services like Netflix and Spotify, “it is still hard to beat obtaining files from illegal downloads, which are completely free”, noting the wide range of pirated content.

Said a 21-year-old retail assistant who did not wish to be named: “I know it is wrong to download those files but it doesn’t cost me anything and it is also convenient.”

Singapore fared worse for illegal downloads and streams than New Zealand (58 per cent) and Australia (46 per cent), but scored better than Malaysia (83 per cent).

The latest figures mirror earlier findings. A survey by research consultancy Sycamore Research and Marketing released in 2014 showed that 61 per cent of people here aged 16 to 64 said they had participated in movie and TV or music piracy.

Raed also: Apple’s TV update without Netflix could hint at its own streaming ambitions

Mr Ngiam Kwang Hwa, managing director of independent record label Rock Records Singapore, said piracy “is our biggest enemy” and causes a loss of sales revenue.

“We are trying hard to clamp down on piracy, but we need help from others such as the Government,” he added.

Mr Tan said more could be done to persuade people to move away from digital piracy. “Consumers could be allowed to customise their subscriptions so they need not pay a large fee to watch only a few programmes,” he said.

The same survey also found that privacy was a key concern among people here who used digital services, as 81 per cent felt organisations should be more transparent about how they use the consumer information collected.

Some 72 per cent of respondents were also worried about having their personal data – such as location and messages – accessed, while 66 per cent felt the same for their online habits and behaviour.

These findings could be due to greater awareness of the need to safeguard personal data since legislation like the Personal Data Protection Act was enacted, said Mr Tan.

This article was first published on Apr 03, 2017.
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Like it or not, gadgets have become a key part of people’s lives in Singapore, as consumers spend most of their waking hours on digital devices – 12hr 42 min a day on average.

And spending so much time has had both a positive and a negative impact on people’s lives, in areas such as their relations with others and sleep.

This is according to survey findings released in February on the impact of digital devices – such as mobile phones, tablets, computers and video game consoles – on people.

Accounting for the most time spent on a gadget in a day on average is the mobile phone, at 3hr 12min.

The top gadget people use here is also the smartphone, with 95 per cent saying so, and its effect on people is telling – almost 80 per cent of them check their smartphones when waking up in the morning or just before going to bed.

While many – nearly 30 per cent – said that their sleep has been negatively affected by mobile gadgets, a similar number said there has been a positive impact.

Even so, about 70 per cent have enjoyed a boon in communications with their friends and are better able to complete personal errands and multitask, thanks to smartphones and tablets.

The study by consultancy Ernst & Young (EY) polled 1,000 people aged 18 to 69 who resided in Singapore for at least a year and had access to the Internet.

The top online activity they engaged in using their gadgets daily was reading personal e-mails, with 90 per cent of respondents doing so.

But the heavy use of digital gadgets is not without issues.

About a third of respondents admitted that they were addicted to smartphones and tablets.

A visual merchandiser who wanted to be known only as Ms Mary O., 26, said her smartphone causes her to lose three to four hours of sleep every night.

“Most of the time, I am playing (mobile) games like Bejeweled. It gets addictive as you just want to reach the next level in the game,” she said, adding that she usually sleeps at around 3am.

She uses her smartphone while commuting and at work as well. But she noted that there is a positive side as “it allows me to connect with relatives and friends overseas”.

Sleep is an issue that university student Nataniel Wong, 22, faces as well. He uses his devices for about 12 hours a day: Five hours for school work and seven for browsing the Internet and social media. “This has pushed my sleep time to later in the night, usually past 2am,” he said.

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Housewife Linda Yeo, 54, spends five to six hours on her phone daily, but said her habit of checking her phone before turning in at 11 each night does not affect her sleep. “Even if I am not using my phone before that, I will be watching television,” Madam Yeo said.

Others are affected by more physical issues. University student Gracia Ow, 20, said she uses her laptop so often that her “back and shoulders ache all the time”. She added: “I use my laptop and smartphone for close to 16 hours a day. Most of the time I am doing schoolwork, but I am also on social media for around two hours.”

People are generally spending way too much time on their digital devices, said Dr Michael Netzley, academic director at Singapore Management University Executive Development.

“Humans are very poor at multitasking… We all have limited mental bandwidth, and multitasking through mobile devices rapidly depletes that limited mental bandwidth,” he said, adding that people would have a competitive advantage if they “power off, focus and perform at a higher level”.

Read also: Hypertension on the rise in kids due to high-salt diet, frequent gadget use

There are social and health consequences too, said Dr Netzley.

“We wake up throughout the night, checking our devices and damaging the quality of all-important sleep and recharging… People stare at their devices, walk wherever they want without looking and simply do not care about anyone else,” he said.

To address the problem, digital discipline should be taught in workplaces, schools, places of worship and even the media, said Dr Netzley.

“The problem is not the technology. The problem is a lack of disciplined use of the technology.”

‘Do more to boost e-commerce’

Singapore may be digitally savvy but more can be done to enhance e-commerce here, a study released by Ernst & Young in February has recommended.

The study, which polled 1,000 people in Singapore last May, found that almost half – 49 per cent – do online research for a product in a store or at the point of purchase.

The top online activity they engaged in monthly or more frequently, on gadgets such as smartphones and computers, was banking and finance, with 89 per cent of people doing so.

A distant second was online grocery shopping at 47 per cent.

Some 55 per cent said they would like to be able to buy from more retailers online as well.

Ernst & Young Asean advisory digital leader Jonathan Rees said the findings show that “digital experiences are not just about online shopping and e-commerce”. “For Singapore retailers, there is a significant opportunity in merging the brick-and-mortar store with digital experiences.

“What is certain is going digital is no longer a ‘wait- and-see’ but a ‘catch-and- act-now’ imperative. Organisations must be ready to reset their customer strategies if they want to successfully capitalise on the growth potential of the digital economy.”

This article was first published on Apr 03, 2017.
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When a woman claimed her boss had raped her while on a business trip, she found herself being grilled.

Why did she agree to stay in the same room, she was asked.

Her arguments that it was her boss who insisted on “saving costs”, promising that “nothing would happen”, were dismissed.

This was one of the cases handled by the Sexual Assault Care Centre (SACC) at the Association of Women for Action and Research. It did not provide more details of the case.

SACC manager Anisha Joseph said such incidents show the difficulties victims face in reporting sexual offences – particularly when committed by someone they know. The SACC handled 338 cases last year, up from 234 in 2014.

Read also: Breaking the silence on sexual crimes

Of the cases last year, 80 per cent were committed by someone known to the victim. This makes the victim less willing to report the incident, said Ms Anisha.

“We need more public awareness about how to respond to survivors in a supportive and empathetic way, such as to facilitate access to resources like counselling or support for police reporting,” she added. “Organisations like employers and schools can also improve their first-response knowhow.”

Read also: Encouraging students to report sexual abuse

She said family and friends play important roles as first responders, and can help with supportive statements, such as telling victims: “It is not your fault.”

In many cases, people find it hard to make a report due to fear of disbelief, a lack of evidence and worry about the reaction of their family and friends, she added.

And they keep it a secret for years. Clinical psychologist Jeanie Chu sees three to five cases of sexual abuse a month at Resilienz Clinic, where she works. Many of her clients said they were abused when they were teenagers or even younger. But they saw her only when they were in their 20s or 30s.

In many cases, the perpetrator was a family member, and her clients suppressed memories of the incident until they realised it affected them later in life, said Ms Chu.

In one case she handled, a woman revealed she was molested several times over a few years by an older family member when she was a teenager. She was also raped by a stranger. In both instances, she did not make a police report.

“Since then, she has been struggling with her sense of identity and self-esteem, and has difficulties with trusting and forming intimate relationships (with the opposite sex),” Ms Chu said of the woman, who is now in her 30s.

“She wants to have a family, to foster a close relationship… but has found herself unable to do so.”

Helplines

Child Protection Specialist Centres:

• Heart@Fei Yue: 6819-9170
• Big Love: 6445-0400
• Pave: 6266-0171
• Child Protective Service Helpline (Social and Family Development Ministry): 1800-777-0000

Sexual Assault Care Centre:

• Helpline: 6779-0282
• WhatsApp chat: 9781-4101

This article was first published on Apr 03, 2017.
Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.

Singapore has refuted accusations by two Indonesian police officials that it refused to cooperate with regard to extradition and Mutual Legal Assistance (MLA) requests.

A spokesman for Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said the two countries enjoy good bilateral cooperation in law enforcement and criminal matters.

“Singapore and Indonesia are party to the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty Amongst Like-minded Asean Member States, under which cooperation already takes place in line with Singapore’s domestic laws and international obligations,” he said in a statement yesterday.

“In fact, we have provided assistance to Indonesia on its MLA requests. Singapore looks forward to receiving similar cooperation from Indonesia.”

Under the MLA, one country can gain access to interrogate criminals detained in the partner country, as well as to gather evidence and seize the criminals’ assets.

Indonesia and Singapore signed an extradition treaty in 2007, but Indonesian lawmakers have yet to ratify it in Parliament.

The MFA spokesman was responding to local news reports quoting Inspector-General Saiful Maltha, the Indonesian national police’s head for international relations.

According to one report, carried by state news agency Antara, Gen Saiful said Singapore “did not want” to cooperate with Indonesia on the Extradition Treaty and MLA requests. Indonesia had sent a draft of the Extradition Treaty to Singapore but did not receive a reply, he added.

He made the comment at a meeting with the media last Thursday to discuss the state of investigations into graft suspect Honggo Wendratno, the founder of an oil firm who is suspected to be in Singapore. The police had said in 2015 that it wanted to question him in a corruption case involving the illicit procurement of diesel fuel in 2010.

The Antara news report quoted another police officer, Brigadier- General Naufal Yahya, who was also at the meeting, as saying: “Singapore lives on investment. If the suspect does not invest there, he would surely have been driven out on the pretext of overstaying.”

However, the MFA spokesman said the remarks were “factually incorrect and mischievous” and “do not reflect the good cooperation between the two law enforcement agencies, especially coming from two senior officials”.

Singapore and Indonesia signed the Extradition Treaty and Defence Cooperation Agreement as a package in April 2007 in Bali.

The signing was witnessed by then President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, added MFA.

“Both agreements are still pending ratification by the Indonesian House of Representatives. Singapore is ready to proceed with both agreements once Indonesia is ready to do so.”

While the location of Honggo is unclear, Singapore had in the past assisted Indonesia in similar cases where the suspect was located within its jurisdiction – though the Extradition Treaty has yet to be ratified.

Last June, Singapore deported Indonesia’s former football association chairman La Nyalla Mattalitti, who had been hiding for more than two months – first in Malaysia, then in Singapore – in an attempt to avoid a graft investigation.

This article was first published on Apr 03, 2017.
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Last month, a food stall assistant was sentenced to 231/2 years in jail and given 24 strokes of the cane for sexually abusing his biological daughter.

The abuse started in 2011, when she was 11, and ended when she was 13.

There has been a spike in allegations of sexual abuse of children by their own family members, according to figures from the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF).

Last year, the MSF’s Child Protective Service (CPS) investigated 107 allegations of sexual abuse involving children under 16 years old. The CPS investigated 82 similar allegations in 2015 and 56 in 2014.

Read also: Najib vows to end child sex crimes in Malaysia

Most sexual abuse cases involved allegations of molestation, according to the MSF.

The CPS generally handles only cases involving family members.

The MSF said that its protective service works with families and caregivers “to improve their circumstances to keep the child safe under their care”, and undertakes social investigations into allegations.

The police handle the criminal investigation.

Read also: 4 S’poreans charged with sexual assault in Taiwan

It stressed the importance of reporting sexual assault, even if the abuser is someone a victim knows or trusts, and tells the victim to keep it a secret.

For cases involving young people, parental guidance and support are particularly important, said Ms Lena Teo, deputy director for therapy and mental wellness services at the Children-at-Risk Empowerment Association.

Read also: Cracking the whip on child sex offenders

Also known as Care Singapore, the organisation offers counselling services that support children, youths and their families.

Young victims of sexual assault could experience nightmares and shame, and show changes in behaviour such as refusing to attend school, she said.

“We always try to make sure that the parents have the proper education and are informed on how to deal with the situation,” she added.

Read also: Encouraging students to report sexual abuse

Ms Teo said that younger victims tend to harbour a sense of betrayal if the perpetrator was trusted, or someone they were dependent on.

They may also feel betrayed by a non-offending caregiver, who was supposed to protect and support them, she said.

In more severe cases, victims may show signs of post-traumatic stress disorder and experience flashbacks of the incident. Some may also harm themselves.

Separately, the State Courts had 64 convictions for cases involving sexual penetration of a minor under 16 last year. There were 66 convictions in 2015.

The Family Justice Courts also saw 57 offences for sexual penetration of a minor under 16, committed by young people. There were 26 such offences in 2015.

This article was first published on Apr 03, 2017.
Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.