KUALA LUMPUR: The Joint Action Group for Gender Equality (JAG) has condemned the victim-blaming and silencing by Religious Affairs Minister Datuk Idris Ahmad.
This was after a child survivor spoke up about the abuse she endured at the hands of her father.
JAG in a statement today said Idris' response as a minister was a violation of the country's Child Act 2001 and Sexual Offences against Children Act 2017 (SOACA) 2017 to protect children.
"It is also an upsetting reflection of normalisation of the violence women and girls experience at home.
"Such statements shame survivors of sexual and gender-based (SGBV) violence into silence, leaving many to feel that they are alone in facing the issue," it said.
JAG pointed out that remarks from someone in a position of power and trust were extremely discouraging for all survivors of SGBV, and contribute to its under-reporting and fear of speaking out due to judgment and retaliation.
On Sept 6, Idris in remarks over the action of a teenage actress said instead of reporting the abuse to the police, should have protected her father from humiliation (aib)
JAG said the Child Act 2001 makes it compulsory for a family member to inform a Social Welfare Officer if there is a reasonable belief of sexual abuse.
It said actions by an authority to advise a survivor and family members to avoid speaking out about experiences of abuse to protect abusers contradicts the core values of Malaysian laws and government SOPs meant to eradicate sexual violence against children perpetrated by adults, including family members.
"These laws are living embodiments of Malaysia's duties to protect children under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), to which Malaysia is party to.
"The government has submitted a report on their compliance with the obligations under the UNCRC in Geneva in August last year, and confirmed their "initiatives to strengthen mechanisms to receive, monitor and investigate complaints of child abuse," it said.
JAG also said police data found most child sexual abuse cases involved perpetrators the victim knows, most often their biological or step fathers.
"A staggering 42 per cent increase in child sexual abuse cases was recorded between 2020 to last year.
"The power dynamics of being harmed by a trusted individual, especially family, makes speaking out daunting and the routine silencing and shaming of victims only serve to further exacerbate the issue.
"Families and homes are meant to be safe spaces for children, not environments of abuse.
The group also demanded the government take a stand against child sexual abuse.
"We hope that the Prime Minister's Department, police and the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry take a clear stance as well as continue to oversee investigation into the case.
"The Prime Minister's Department, the office within which the Minister (Idris) operates, was a key driver in ensuring that provisions in the SOACA to protect children was implemented including by issuing, A Special Guideline for Handling Cases on Sexual Offences Against Children in December 2017", the statement said.
Recently, Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Rina Harun said Social Welfare Department (JKM) had met and conducted a counselling session with the teenage actress to help her overcome the emotional trauma.
It was also understood that the father has lodged a police report following the allegations. The teenage actress also lodged a police report against her father.
On Sept 7, Subang Jaya district police chief ACP Wan Azlan Wan Mamat said the police had detained the actress's father until Sept 12 for further investigation.
