- May 31, 2015
- 'Finger-rape' case, Events
Recently, a 60-year-old man was acquitted from statutory rape, even though evidence indicated that he fathered a child with the 15 year old girl. This Court of Appeal decision sent shockwaves across the nation.
We have much to be concerned about. The names of sexual violence 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, to name a few.
Police statistics reveal an almost threefold increase in reported rape cases between 2000 and 2009. Parliament reports that the conviction rate for sexual crimes involving children in 2013 was below 5%. In 2012 and 2013, more than 65% of all sexual assault victims were under 18 years of age.
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.
Stop raping our children!
Join the Citizens Against Rape to demand for better protection for women and girls against sexual violence:
When: 11am, Sunday, 7 June 2015
Where: Taman Sahabat, Jalan Song, Kuching
What to wear and bring: Anything orange and bring along a toy or something associated with children
Why toys: To remind us that children have the right to a safe childhood and to be free from all forms of sexual violence
Why orange: To signify a bright future for women and children, free from sexual violence
Hashtag: #HentikanRogol