Weeks after Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (Jakim) was criticised in a tweet by Lawyers of Liberty President, Eric Paulsen for allegedly “promoting extremism”, now the Selangor Islamic Religious Department (Jais) is under fire for asking women to cover themselves to prevent rape.
“Jais in its Friday sermon message on “Tutup Aurat” gives misleading information on rape, smacks of victim-blaming, and shows male bias in religious leadership,” said DAP Wanita chairperson Chong Eng in a statement today.
She was referring to a sermon last Friday which Jais delivered, titled “Aurat: Antara Kebebasan dan Maruah Diri” (“Modesty: Between Freedom and Dignity), where it advised Muslim women to cover up their “modesty” to prevent being harassed physically or mentally, to prevent false accusations (fitnah), “evil gazes” and “bad incidents”. Negative incidents such as rape, illicit sex, and incest can be avoided this way, it said.
“Sadly, Jais’s sermon is misinformed, irresponsible, disrespectful and smacks of male bias. This “tutup aurat” message does nothing to help female victims of sexual assault and abuse – but instead shifts the blame and responsibility for preventing sexual crimes onto victims, instead of the perpetrators!” the Padang Lalang assemblywoman said.
Quoting studies done by Groth, Holmstrom & Burgess in 1977 to Barbaree & Marshall in 1991 related to the issue, Chong said that it was power and anger singled out as the most common motivations for rape. Other studies, from Clarke & Lewis in 1977 to Darke in 1990 link the behaviour of rapists with the intention to humiliate victims physically, mentally and verbally.
Contrary to the perception of rape as the resulted of “being tempted by a woman”, Chong said that it was more a case of “a bully who picks on a weak or vulnerable victim”.
“This explains the horrifying statistic in 2010 that 50% of rape victims in Malaysia are under 16 years old!” she added.
She said that in 2000, Noor Suzaily Mukhtar, who was raped and killed on a bus was wearing a long skirt and a tudung at the time of assault.
“Noor Suzaily Mukhtar is just one of many victims– including infants and children – who were ‘dressed decently’ at the time of the assault,” she said.
Chong Eng urged Jais and all religious authorities to sternly warn everyone not to commit acts of sexual violence instead of perpetuating the notion that “she deserved it”. In Friday sermons which are delivered to an all male crowd, she asked that boys and men be taught to respect the rights of others and not to force themselves on any females.
Excepts from last week’s Friday sermon by Jais (from http://e-masjid.jais.gov.my/)
Excepts from last week’s Friday sermon by Jais (from http://e-masjid.jais.gov.my/)
Excepts from last week’s Friday sermon by Jais (from http://e-masjid.jais.gov.my/)
She also said that Jais’s comparison of “women who do not cover up” to “homes which are left unlocked” was in poor taste.
“Although its excuse is that this is a ‘simple analogy’, the fact is that a woman is not a house, an object, or a piece of meat to be used by anyone. A woman is a human being – and entitled to basic human rights, not to be harmed under any circumstances.”
“The department’s ‘simple analogy’ reduces a woman’s worth to that of an object, and treats her as a passive piece of property that can be robbed, taken away and occupied by force. This ‘simple analogy’is a feudal mentality that has no place in Malaysia today – and it must change,” she said.
Chong went further, suggesting that there should be concrete efforts to increase women’s representation in all sectors especially in religious leadership to counter the lack of understanding of gender sensitivities and women’s issues. –The Rocket
