A group of Penang residents are to organise a march to increase men's involvement in the fight against rape, spurred on by a number of highly-publicised cases.

Organised by Suara Rakyat Malaysia (Suaram), the rally will focus on urging men to join women in the campaign against rape.

"To bring an end to the crime of rape, all of us need to come together - especially men, who are the perpetrators most of the time," said Suaram co-ordinator Choo Chon Kai at a press conference today.

"Women can't fight this menace alone, men can't fight it alone either."

The one-day programme which include an exhibition, sketch, quiz and speeches by men and women in the initiatives against rape, will be held on Sept 7 in Komtar.

About 1,000 participants are expected to join the programme, which will end in a march around Komtar.

Police approval

Penang police deputy commissioner Othman Talib has declined to be a speaker at the event, but has nonetheless given the green light for the rally to be held.

In a recent letter to Suaram, Othman congratulated the organisation for planning the event, saying that police alone cannot solve the problem of crimes against women, and that help must also come from the community.

Othman's response comes as a relief to the organisers because a similar effort in Kuala Lumpur last month was halted by the Brickfields police due to "security concerns".

That event, organised by the All Women's Action Society of Malaysia, was eventually held indoors .

'Challenge stereotypes'

Penang-based Women's Centre for Change representative Prema Devaraj said the event was to create awareness and get more people to come forward and express themselves on an important issue.

"The public must take some responsibility, people must come forward. It (the event) is something educational - we need to challenge stereotypes and perceptions about rape," she said.

"Rape is always seen as a woman's issue. It is not. It is a human right issue for both men and women."

Catholic organisation, Penang Office for Human Development representative Joachim Xavier said men could play a big role in informing other men to correct misconceptions about women.

"They cannot continue to see women as sex objects," he said. "There will be repercussions if they fail to be involved in the anti-rape campaign as they have wives, daughters and sisters, who may some day become victims."

Agents of change

Save Ourselves Penang co-ordinator Ong Boon Keong told reporters that an alternative newspaper on the issue of rape will be distributed during the rally.

Ong said society's perception that rape usually occurs in dark places and is committed by strangers is misguided, because statistics show that the crime is often perpetrated by people known to the victims.

Keadilan state deputy chief Cheah Kah Peng, who was also at the press conference, suggested that more help units such as one-stop centres for women should be established throughout the country.

He said that due to socialisation, men are portrayed as rational beings and thus seen as leaders while women are deemed as emotional and required to play a subservient role, "but it is men, the rational ones, who are the perpetrators (of rape)".

"Men have the potential to change and be agents of change in this, and we should encourage all men to speak out and condemn rape no matter where they come from, whatever their creed, skin colour, social standing or political affiliation," he added.