KUALA LUMPUR – The All Women’s Action Society (Awam) has rubbished claims that “sugar dating” empowers women, saying it only reinforces unjust power relations.
Mayna Ramesh Patel, Awam’s services programme officer, said while a woman has the right to make her own choices, encouraging sugar dating will lead to women believing they are inherently inferior and need a rich man as their “saviour”.
“As such, we cannot afford to stand idly by as more young girls are duped into believing that this ‘sugary situation’ somehow levels the playing field for women and girls everywhere, because it most assuredly does not,” she told The Vibes.
She said calling it outright prostitution would be wrong, but when a decision is made under duress, then it is still a clear-cut issue of exploitation and imbalanced power dynamics.
“The whole concept of a young woman wholly depending on an older man to maintain her lifestyle, and in return, having a sexual relationship with him, is not a concept that empowers women. Instead, it devalues them.”
For women considering sugar dating for the purposes of financial stability, she recommended that they instead get a job where they are in control.
“But if the purpose is for emotional support and intimacy, then obviously, it’s a very subjective issue.
“The best advice would be for young women to be aware of their choices, and make sure they make informed choices.
“They should equip themselves with knowledge and be on the lookout for signs of abuse.”
Mayna said banning the Sugarbook app will send a clear message that the government does not condone older men taking advantage of young women in financial or emotional duress, but warned that this measure alone will not stop the problem.
She recommended that matters related to gender relations and gender sensitivity be ingrained in society via education and mass media, “which is something the government can do”. – The Vibes, February 17, 2021
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