KUALA LUMPUR – Several civil society groups have taken the Education Ministry and Majlis Amanah Rakyat (Mara) to task over allegations of sexual harassment in schools that have made the rounds on Twitter.
In a joint statement, the All Women’s Action Society (Awam), Sisters in Islam (SIS) and Pertubuhan Pembangunan Kendiri Wanita dan Gadis (Women:girls) called for the setting up of a task force to investigate the matter.
“Awam, SIS and Women:girls call on the Education Ministry and Mara to set up an investigative task force, starting with our state boarding schools, to collect empirical evidence and (gain) factual insights into this systemic issue from the students themselves.
“In that process, survivors should be given full assurance of safety and privacy, with their identities kept confidential.”
They identified the following allegations that went viral this week:
- A male teacher sending messages to schoolgirls, such as “You miss me or not?” or “You love me or not?”, and taking them out individually to Starbucks;
- Male students molesting and sexually assaulting their female peers;
- Male students staring at the bodies of their female classmates sleeping in the classroom; and,
- Teachers and students ganging up to body-shame girls, including commenting on their breasts.
Other claims include teachers who touch female Muslim students’ genitals to make sure they are indeed menstruating, and not lying to skip prayers or fasting.
Dulu few years ago saya ada tanya benda ni, tapi masih berlaku ke kat sekolah-sekolah dan asrama Malaysia? Tenaga pelajar check period dan private part pelajar?
— tērry ??? (@TerryDieHeiden) April 15, 2021
It shouldn’t be done sebab invasive of privacy, should be reported to parents or authorities btw. pic.twitter.com/xCsfjpaHdP
“Period spot checks; physically invasive spot checks for ‘forbidden items’; body, clothing and intimate relationship shaming in public; child grooming; molestation; and, slapping and pinching of the nipples as punishment are just a few of the violating incidences experienced by students in Malaysian schools that have been brought to the public’s attention recently,” said the joint statement.
It said such practices reflect a toxic culture of patriarchy, sexism, harassment, abuse, bullying and religious policing, with Malaysia’s younger generation on the receiving end.
Instead of a place where students can learn to achieve their full potential, said the groups, young women are trained to live in fear, and experience insecurities about their bodies and clothing.
“These are degrading and abusive treatments that violate the physical body and personal boundaries without consent, made worse by the fact that most survivors here are or were underaged when these incidents happened.
“Under the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017, and outrage of modesty under Section 354 of the Penal Code, these cases would be considered criminal offences and are punishable by law.”
The organisations said allowing these practices to be carried out by teaching staff trains students to believe it is acceptable to violate another person’s body without consent.
A thread went viral on Twitter last Friday by user @TerryDieHeiden, highlighting some of the allegations.
The user shared claims including female teachers groping the genitals of female students to check whether they are on their period.
Another allegation concerned a teacher at a public boarding school who uploaded lewd photographs of his female students.
The user also posted about an allegation that a teacher attempted to groom female students via WhatsApp messages and one-on-one outings. – The Vibes, April 21, 2021
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