MMA against decision to charge teenage mother with murder

Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) president Dr Koh Kar Chai said that physicians were horrified over the decision to charge a 15-year-old rape victim who stabbed her newborn son with murder.

"The magistrate, in this case charged the girl for murder, an offence under Section 302 of the penal code.

This young girl, herself the victim of a crime 9 months ago is now again a victim of injustice," said Koh in a statement today.

He said that males and females who are survivors of sexual violence may experience mental, behavioural and social consequences.

"Girls and women who comprise a vast majority of the victims bear the extra brunt of reproductive consequences apart from experiencing the trauma of the sexual assault and risk of contracting sexually transmitted infections as their male counterparts.

"The health consequences of sexual violence or rape in girls and women are numerous ranging from reproductive health where they may suffer gynaecological trauma or unsafe abortions for example as well as mental health issues like depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder to name a few," he said.

Yesterday it was reported that the 15-year-old was charged under Section 302 of the Penal Code which carries the death penalty if convicted.

According to a Malay Mail report, magistrate Tengku Eliana Kamaruzaman rejected the teenager’s plea for bail which was made at the Magistrates Court in Kemaman, Terengganu.

Koh said that survivors of such trauma such as rape may start exhibiting high-risk behaviours.

"Fatal outcomes of rape can include suicide, AIDS, murder during rape, killed for honour or even infanticide of a child born of rape.

"Apart from the trauma of the rape, she has to bear the brunt of being pregnant and also face the backlash from society adding to her misery increasing her risk of not just developing mental illness but also further pushing her towards unwarranted behaviours like infanticide.

"If she is already depressed during her unwanted pregnancy, the risk of developing postpartum depression is definitely higher," he added.

The authorities are also looking for the girl's 20-year-old boyfriend, believed to have raped her.

It was reported that the newborn was found dead on Feb 8 at the 15-year-old girl's house in Felcra Sri Bandi in Chukai, Kemaman.

The victim was believed to have been stabbed with a sharp object.

Koh asked why the girl had not been offered the proper psychological support throughout her pregnancy?

"What horrors and stress must have accompanied this young girl throughout her pregnancy to make her commit infanticide on the day the child was born?

"We have seen cases where the rapist is usually allowed to go free for lack of evidence or because no report was made due to the social stigma which ends up with the lady who is the survivor of the rape being left to face all this on her own.

"There is a definite need to revisit the court’s decision in this case," he added.

Teen in Kemaman charged with murdering newborn baby

Teen mum remanded seven days over newborn’s death

Police rescue 3 suspected teen victims of sex exploitation