I AM absolutely shocked by the ignorant and irresponsible statement made by Deputy Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Datuk Seri Acryl Sani Abdullah Sani, who described a rape threat against a teenager as a possible joke by her classmates.
His words have not only trivialised the imminent threat against the 17-year-old girl, who received a rape threat after calling out a male teacher for allegedly making jokes on rape, but also sanctioned violence against women as acceptable.
The act of rape, be it committed or verbalised, is never a joke as it brings up motives of anger, and is humiliating, violent and about a show of power over a vulnerable victim.
Rape can negatively affect a girl or woman’s mental, physical, sexual and reproductive well-being.
In the teenager’s case, a threat has been made by one of her classmates, and this can’t be trivialised as it puts her life in danger.
The deputy IGP’s appalling statement has put a spanner in the works for the decades of efforts made by women’s movements and other authorities to have zero tolerance for violence against women.
When ministers and top officials speak, their words carry weight, and, worse, when those words have an adverse impact on the issue. Such individuals must refrain from making such disreputable statements.
According to the World Health Organisation, almost one-third (27%) of girls and women aged between 15 and 49 have reported some form of physical and/or sexual violence by their intimate partners.
Time and again, women’s rights are trivialised, ignored and violated. Just as in the case of schoolgirls having to show their sanitary pads, groped and violated to prove that they have their menstruation.
Violence against women is a violation of human rights.
Every citizen has the right to live free from discrimination and violence, and enjoy the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health.
Making light of acts of violence does not help to end them, but further perpetuate them.
Every institution, including the police force, social workers and health personnel, has an important role to play to provide comprehensive care and protection to girls, women, boys and men subjected to violence.
As a high-ranking police personnel, the deputy IGP has shown disrespect to the teenager – a brave young woman who spoke up against all odds.
His statement cannot be with impunity, as he has brought disrepute to his uniform and all Malaysians. He must make an immediate public apology.
Police must give assurances that such attitudes will be purged and the force re-educated against all forms of discrimination and violence to bring back public respect for the men in blue.
Probes and actions must be carried out against the teacher who made the rape joke, as well as the students who made the rape threat.
Again, the cabinet needs to take responsibility to enact the gender equality act and put in place women’s rights education for all institutions. – The Vibes, April 27, 2021
Maria Chin Abdullah is an activist and Petaling Jaya MP
