KUALA LUMPUR: Blaming a woman for the commission of a crime against her due to the way she talks or dresses is wrong, said Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail in response to a statement made by a senator in the Dewan Negara on Wednesday.
The Deputy Prime Minister welcomed the retracting of the statement and apology by Senator First Admiral (Rtd) Mohamad Imran Abd Hamid but said the PKR senator should have been more considerate and sensitive to the party’s stand on violence against women, including sexual violence and harassment.
“Political leaders, both elected and appointed representatives, must play a role in ensuring that women and also men are constantly protected from sexual violence.
“I was shocked to read Mohamad Imran’s suggestion that there should be a sexual harassment law to protect men from a woman’s way of speaking and dressing which he said can cause men to be seduced and lead them into committing acts such as incest, rape, inappropriate touching and pornography, among others,” she said in a statement yesterday.
Dr Wan Azizah said that though Mohamad Imran had apologised and retracted his statement, she was of the opinion that gender sensitisation sessions should be conducted, especially for elected and appointed representatives, so that the causes and consequences of violence against women can be better understood together.
Dr Wan Azizah, who is also the Women, Family And Community Development Minister, said that to blame women for the bad behaviour from men was not something acceptable.
“Women should be protected from crimes. How can the blame be now placed upon women for causing crimes against them?
“Both men and women have a role to play in developing Malaysia. Statements such as these have no place in Malaysia Baharu (New Malaysia),” she said. – Bernama
