Sara’s Story

Rehabilitation is a space that assists people – this is just penalising people further down the road.

Sara (not her real name) was detained without trial in Singapore’s Drug Rehabilition Centre (DRC). Here, talks to TJC about her experiences in DRC.

Like many others who’ve been to DRC, Sara does not believe it is designed to be rehabilitative, even though it’s in the name of the institution. She highlights the lack of support, care and healing they receive inside DRC, and how that increases the likelihood that once they’re released, detainees will eventually relapse.

Getting caught

When I went to the station, I was asked to provide my urine, but I could not because I had already passed my urine.

The Head of the station was instigating: “You need to pass urine or we’re going to charge you for not complying with the law”.

And they already asked me to sign a form to declare that if I didn’t comply with the request I would be charged for non-compliance.

I was brought to IMH for mental review, because I do have some records there, so they reviewed that. The next day I was sent directly to DRC.

When giving my statement I was already insisting: For the past few days, there’s been no interaction from outside, you place me here, there’s no information, I could not make a phone call. I could not even see a doctor, when I am already diagnosed to have a mental health problem.

And they kept telling me, you should not react in that manner, because they will charge you further and jeopardise your case.

Rehab or prison?

There we were, being told that we were undergoing treatment, they kept saying, no, no, no, we are much more flexible with drug users, treatment at DRC is not like prison! But once you enter this place, it is like a prison.

Everywhere, once we entered, we were handcuffed.

And if you act out or become aggressive, they will bring you to the psych ward. We call it the Jesus Christ ward, you know why? Because you will be handcuffed to the bed, and you will be fed.

I was alone in a pending cell for a full week, so it was like solitary confinement for the whole week. It is meant to be cold turkey – and this is what they call ‘treatment’

But this is not treatment and this is not appropriate treatment which looks into the needs of the drug user.

This is why globally they are encouraging that users should not be treated like animals, right? So if you are saying that this is for rehabilitation, then we should not be treated like criminals.

On my first day in DRC, during the night when the doctor examined me, I was asking, what do you mean by rehabilitation? The doctor could not really answer and said, “It is up to us to rehabilitate ourselves”.

So I said, “That is not the aim of rehabilitation. Rehabilitation is a space that assists people – this is just penalising people further down the road.”

So, what’s the aim? He could not give a proper answer, as usual

Cell conditions

The cell was very cramped and hot. We ate what was given to us in a styrofoam box. You cannot keep your bread or food, so it is not fair for people who do not have an appetite to eat at the time. And if you don’t finish your food, they will make it seem like you are protesting.

The CNA documentary on life in prison is totally misrepresented and orchestrated to polarise further based on the narrative that they want people to hear.

Even the SANA counselor shared the same view: that is a very orchestrated narrative from the government’s perceptions.

Courses and jobs

The treatment of women is very different than for men. We have yellow ribbon courses to give us skills. For multi-timers, they are more likely to work at a call centre. For condemned inmates: newspaper printing.

I waited about 3 weeks after I went in before I was assigned a course. But it is only a limited number who are granted courses, and only if when you go out, you’re preparing yourself to reintegrate back into society.

Your ma’am and your prison officer will select the courses for you, they won’t even tell you what kind of course you are going for. There is no consultation.

I told them when I get out, I will speak for them.

Michelle used to be a broker. She was arrested for drug use. And Su Fei – she was a first timer also, and she had no one to visit her because her family disowned her.

Su Fei has schizophrenia, and Michelle has bipolar and was diagnosed by IMH.

Why can’t you treat them in a proper manner instead of sending them to DRC? Drug use for them is to numb the pain: if you treat them as criminals, wouldn’t they go deeper into the rabbit hole?

Su Fei, I heard she is back in again – and how could she not relapse, because she had no support?

The support of your IO and counsellor is important, but the quality of the officer is not consistent. Some may be good – but there are many who are not.

I told my officer: I was lucky to have you, but not everybody is lucky.

I told my husband I was lucky to have him so it’s easier for me. But what about all the other girls who don’t have that support?