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Teaching our boys rape is an evil and heinous crime
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LETTER | When rape occurs, the usual response in our society to overcome such violent aggression is to ask women to dress ‘decently’ or to be more careful when they step out of their homes or even to take self-defence classes.

For too long, women have been blamed and shamed for sexual violations committed against them. Why are the victims are being blamed? The problem is not the way women dress. It is the rapists who are the perpetrators.

We need to stem the problem at its roots. In particular, we need to educate our boys to respect women and girls, and that rape is wrong in any given situation at any given time.

Parents must teach their children that it is wrong for sons and boys to harass, molest or rape girls/women. The culture of respecting women must start at home.

We need more counsellors who are able to articulate such positive culture in schools. We need for all religious groups to teach our boys and men that sexual aggression and rape are wrong.

Harsh reality

Failing to do this will perpetuate rape culture in our society. For example, a few days ago, it was reported that a 17-year-old girl was allegedly gang-raped by nine soldiers in Kluang last year in December.

On Jan 16, 2018, she attempted to commit suicide. About a month later (22 Feb), she lodged a report at the Kluang police station. On 25 Feb, she was confirmed to be nine weeks pregnant.

There were 29,698 rape cases reported from 2006-2015. On average, that is 3,000 each year and this means eight girls or women are raped in Malaysia every day.

However, it is no secret that this malaise runs deeper as a large number of incidences go unreported. Parliament estimates that only two out of every 10 rape cases are reported to the police and that around 87 percent of women who have been raped know their rapist.

Therefore, I support Senai state assemblywoman Wong Shu Qi’s (photo) statement yesterday calling for the authorities to provide the right support system and better reporting mechanisms.

Proactive actions

The Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development ought to work with the Education Ministry to take the necessary measures in training, educating, and raising awareness among teachers and students in preventing and reporting rape and sexual aggression.

This is important because moral policing has not only failed to deter sexual aggression but instead continued to blame the victims.

It puzzles me as to why many leaders of all religions are not speaking up on this issue. If they are in disagreement with sexual violence against girls (which I am sure they are), why are they not actively speaking up against it?

Clearly, more prevention education needs to be done. One 17-year-old rape victim is one too many.

We should put the screws to the aggressor, not the victim.


The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.

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