Choice Of Words Matters Activists Remind Cops After Rape Threat Furore

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Be careful how you express yourself! - was the message from activists to the police after Deputy Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Acryl Sani Abdullah Sani had in a press conference yesterday commented on a case involving rape threats and used the words "maybe a joke."
Today, the police stressed that they had never viewed a rape threat against 17-year-old Ain Husniza Saiful Nizam as a joke and had always taken it seriously.
According to IGP corporate communications secretariat Skandaguru Anandan, a statement by Acryl Sani that used the words "maybe a joke" was referring to an aspect of the investigation, not the issue.
"The choice of words matter. Suggesting that a rape threat may have been a joke - even as an offhand comment - gives an impression that the police don't view rape seriously,” Women's Aid Organisation deputy executive director Yu Ren Chung told Malaysiakini.
"We need to do all we can to ensure girls are safe in schools, and that children - in particular boys - know that rape comments and threats are not appropriate.
Association of Women Lawyers president Sheena Gurbakhash concurred, saying we cannot expect girls to speak up about harassment when there is a chance their complaints may be dismissed as a symptom of girls “being oversensitive”.
"When explicit rape-threats to a female student by her classmate in retaliation against perceived outspokenness are classified as ‘teasing and jokes’ the message being sent out to girls everywhere is that their complaints will not be taken seriously," said Sheena in a statement.




Deputy Inspector-General of Police Acryl Sani Abdullah Sani
Yesterday, Acryl, the nation's second-ranking police official, had said: “The student has filed two police reports. The first is over what she felt was an improper approach by her teacher. The second report is regarding what may be a joke from her classmate, which she couldn’t accept."
Ain, who alleged her teacher had made a rape joke, also revealed that a fellow student also threatened to rape her after she exposed the matter.
“If I get you, I will shred you or rape you and send you to Thailand,” the schoolmate said, in the recording published on Twitter by Ain.
The classmate had since apologised.
Malaysiakini has sighted Ain’s report, in which she expressed her fears over the threat and did not mention any possibility that it was a joke.
Dr Harlina Halizah Siraj, professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology and Medical Education (Clinical Teaching) with the Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) said this and other recent incidents on period spot-checking indicate a real urgency to reflect on current perspectives of Malaysians on issues of gender-based harassment and violence.
"There is a lot to unlearn, relearn and we need to develop new insights in these areas," she said.
Malaysians Against Rape, Assault and Snatch Theft (Marah) founder Dave Avran reminded the deputy IGP that there is already a large trust deficit in the police among the rakyat and that he needed to be careful as the perception was that sexual threats and crimes are played down and victims are shamed in Malaysia.
Long-time women's rights activist Ivy Josiah added that every time we dismiss rape threats and label misogynistic comments as jokes, we normalise rape culture.

"The community, especially parents, must oppose any attempt to trivialise this incident," she said, adding that gender sensitisation training should be mandatory for teachers and public officials.
Refugee rights activist Mahi Ramakrishanan said she was really shocked to read the comments by the deputy IGP.
"It is an irresponsible response but more importantly, he has set a dangerous example.
"And this is because the person with the second highest power in the police force is normalising and legitimising violence against women.
"Male sexual violence isn’t anything new but this reinforces the notion that gendered violence is ok," she said.
"Ain chose not to keep quiet and I applaud her courage. Instead of protecting Ain, the deputy IGP has trivialised her trauma," Mahi added, calling on Acryl Sani to resign over the matter. - Mkini

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