The recent decision of the Court of Appeal to acquit a 60-year-old man who fathered a child with a 15-year-old girl allegedly through the insertion of his semen-smeared finger sent shockwaves across the nation. It is regrettable that once more, it has required a case where justice has been so blatantly undermined before we sit up to take notice.
Yet we have much to be concerned about. The names of sexual victims who have been brutalised, and whose perpetrators have never been brought to justice, are imprinted into our collective memories: Ang May Hong, Audrey Melissa George, Nurin Jazlin.
Police statistics reveal an almost threefold increase in reported rape cases between 2000 and 2009, while Parliament reports that the conviction rate for sexual crimes involving children in 2013 was below 5 percent, and that in 2012 and 2013, more than 65 percent of all sexual assault victims were under 18 years of age.
Despite this, the Malaysian government has not taken effective action to curb the prevalence - and increasing severity - of sexual crimes in our nation. This indifference, and the repeated failure of our justice system to hold perpetrators accountable for their actions, have encouraged a ‘rape culture’ to fester at every level of society in Malaysia.
This must stop.
By signing the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) and the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), the Malaysian Government has
undertaken to uphold the principles of due diligence when dealing with sexual violence. This includes active prevention measures, protecting victims, effectively prosecuting and punishing perpetrators of such violence, and providing redress for victims and survivors.
It is time for these obligations to be upheld.
The Citizens Against Rape (CAR) urges concerned parties from all walks of life to demand state accountability in addressing sexual crimes. Here is what can be done to bring about real change:
1. Urge the government to amend the Penal Code, expanding the definition of rape to include the use of body parts and objects.
2. Amend the Evidence Act 1950 to enhance the weight given to children’s testimonies and review corroboration rules for child victims.
3. Revive and re-implement the Child Protection Policy and Child Protection Teams for consistent action.
4. Recognise that sexual violence occurs at all levels of society and involves victims of all ages.
Join us!
Let us come together and commit to ending sexual violence in this country, particularly those involving children. The Citizens Against Rape is organising a peaceful public protest as follows:
Time and date: 4pm, Sunday, June 7, 2015
Starting at: KL Sogo
Enough is enough. Hentikan rogol!
More details can be accessed at this link .
Issued by the Citizens Against Rape (CAR):
1. All Women’s Action Society (Awam)
2. Association of Women Lawyers
3. Aliran
4. Angkatan Warga Aman Malaysia (Aman)
5. Anak Muda Sarawak
6. ECCE Council
7. Empower
8. Engage
9. Federation of Malaysian Indian Organisations (Prima)
10. Childline Malaysia
11. Islamic Renaissance Front (IRF)
12. Johor Women’s League (Jewel)
13. Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall Women’s Section
14. KL Hokkien Association Youth Section
15. Kumpulan Aktivis Mahasiswa Independent (Kami)
16. LLG Cultural Development Centre
17. Majlis Kebajikan Kanak Kanak (MKKM)
18. Malaysian Child Resource Institute (MCRI)
19. Malaysian Indians Progressive Association (Mipas)
20. Malaysian Youth Care Organisation (Prihatin)
21. Muslimah Interest Zone and Networking (Mizan)
22. National Council of Women’s Organisations Malaysia (NCWO)
23. Negri Sembilan Chinese Assembly Hall (NSCAH)
24. Partners of Community Organisations Sabah (Pacos)
25. P.S. The Children
26. People’s Service Organisation (PSO)
27. Persatuan Halfway Home for Furry Strays
28. Persatuan Sahabat Wanita Selangor (PSWS)
29. Perak Women for Women (PWW)
30. Persatuan Masyarakat Selangor Dan Wilayah Persekutuan (Permas)
31. Persatuan Komuniti Prihatin Selangor dan KL
32. Persatuan Kebajikan Sosial Dan Pendidikan Progresif Selangor
33. Persatuan Pengasuh Berdaftar Malaysia (PPBM)
34. Persatuan Rapat Malaysia (Rapat)
35. Persekutuan Persatuan-Persatuan Alumni Sekolah Cina Malaysia (PPPASCM)
36. Saya Anak Bangsa Malaysia
37. Sisters in Islam (SIS)
38. Suaram
39. Tenaganita
40. Voice of Children (VOC)
41. Wanita Ikram
42. Women’s Aid Organisation (WAO)
43. Women’s Centre for Change (WCC) Penang
44. World Assembly of Muslim Youth (Wamy)
45. Yayasan Usman Awang
46. Sunflower Electoral Education Movement (Seed)
47. Persatuan Jitu
48. Pusat Komunikasi Malaysia (Komas)
49. Persatuan Murid-Murid Ta Sekolah Kuen Cheng KL
50. Japan Graduates Association, Malaysia
51. Child Rights Coalition Malaysia
