Underage ‘rape’: What can we do?

NGOs say while police and welfare organisations have the facilities to handle rape cases, they need to be more pro-active.

PETALING JAYA: With the realisation that “rape” cases involving teenagers and minors are occurring with increasing frequency, we ask a pertinent question: What should be done?

The police have admitted their hands are tied when dealing with a complex “social problem” rather than simply a criminal one, and that they need back-up from other agencies.

Observers and NGOs have for years stressed that there should be more education and programmes and more aid extended to victims.

Criminologist and psychologist Dr Geshina Ayu Mat Saat said the police and welfare organisations have the facilities to handle cases but they need to be more pro-active.

“We need more pro-active movements to find these children, do more intervention rather than aid them after the act is done,” she said.

Geshina said prevention, by educating the ignorant, is preferred over rehabilitating victims who have been sexually abused.

“Currently, the young are learning things that do not teach them to appreciate the boundaries of what you can and cannot do when it comes to sexual intimacy,” she said.

She said moral and religious teachings among youth are insufficient, suggesting that youngsters are learning a lot less than they did 10 years back.

Sexual awareness, she said, was still low as topics related to sex are still considered taboo despite NGOs and government agencies talking about them.

“There is a definite need to improve sexual awareness. It has been talked about in Parliament. Bottom line is, that it’s not enough.”

The prevalence of “latchkey children” was a big problem, according to her.

“Both parents work long hours and are not there for their children when they are home. They are left to their own devices, to take care of themselves, without proper guardianship.

“The reason may be economic as they need to work long hours or have two jobs but unfortunately, the backlash is that the children are left alone.

“We are seeing more and more things like sex parties because children are getting bolder. The parents are purposely neglecting the children.”

The lecturer in Forensic Science also said the mass media also influences a child’s mind greatly.

“Children can go into cybercafes and gain access to pornography and games that have pornographic images. Most cybercafes don’t filter as they just want money,” she said.

“It doesn’t help matters the way children are seeing the ‘glamorous’ lifestyle of celebrities as it seems to portray how a ‘successful’ person behaves.”

Exploitation of young people

Women’s Centre for Change (WCC), Penang, said that the government and NGOs must increase programmes to prevent, intervene, and deal with survivors.

Its programme director, Prema Devaraj, said: “We’re concerned about sexual crimes involving youngsters.

“Although some of these young women may have ‘consented’, often there is an exploitative element especially when the male is much older,” she said.

On its part, WCC conducts prevention programmes relating to sexual assault and exploitation of young people in schools to raise the level of awareness of these issues.

“Such programmes allow for open sharing and discussion about relationships and personal safety,” she said, adding that WCC reaches out to 1,000-1,500 youth in schools and colleges yearly.

They have also collaborated with Hospital Pulau Pinang to support survivors of sexual assaults.

Since 2008, WCC has counselled/supported 130 rape survivors through this collaboration. More than half of these survivors were below 18 years of age.

“Why support survivors of sexual assault? Support for survivors of any form of sexual assault is important as it helps with recovery of the survivor,” she said.

Prema said that based on their own studies and the different scenarios youths have related to their staff, WCC has concluded that:

• rape can happen anywhere – in a car, in a park, in a flat/apartment, in a hotel room, flat stairwell, parking lot, beach, lanes behind houses.
• victim knows assailant via handphones/Facebook – the first time they date, she is raped.
• victim is out with her friends and takes a drink – dizzy/faints/unconscious/ partially conscious and is raped.

“In most cases, the girls were frightened and embarrassed to tell someone,” she said. Other observations WCC noted when dealing with survivors below 18 were that they:

• were naive about relationships; they don’t know about reproductive rights, taken in by sweet talk, presents, gifts, money.
• have a lack awareness of dangers and risks – casual flirtation/accept lifts from people.
• have not thought through whether or not they can trust the person and the consequences of their actions.
• were not assertive, have low self-esteem, have submissive attitude (Abang jaga I”, “I ikut aja apa you mau).
• have very little family guidance/support.
• lack motivation in school, are academically weak in studies, have no focus/purpose.
• have no safe place to disclose about the lack support they need.

Moral and religious disapproval

Another problem was that society has been unwilling and not ready to accept that premarital sex and teenage sex is occurring, said Prema.

“Like it or not, it is happening. Becoming sexually aware and having sexual feelings is all part of growing up,” she said.

In Malaysia, she said, there is a strong moral and religious disapproval of such matters, which makes it difficult for young men and women to discuss:

• having a sexual relationship;
• contraception options;
• pregnancy options;
• unhealthy relationships they may be in; and
• disclose that they need help.

“Similarly with existing attitudes towards sex education. There is a reluctance to acknowledge sexuality of young people and also a reluctance to engage in discussion.

Prema said that society as a whole needs to think about helping and guiding the young.

“We, as parents and educators, can guide them, but ultimately they will make their own decisions. We hope and trust they will make healthy choices.

“And should young people make decisions which go against established values or make mistakes with their choices, they still need to be supported.”

Prema said that a study had concluded that 80% of sex crimes against children are by attackers well known to them, and 50% are known to their fathers.

“A lot of statutory rape is consensual. But there can be situations when it is forced. And even when we say consentual, we also look at the age gap. If it is between 12 and 19, there is something to be said. It’s more exploitative.”

One-stop crisis centres

She said that studies done on statutory rape cases also showed that of those cases that went to court, many were withdrawn.

Another problem is that many people don’t know that there are already “one-stop crisis centres” in general hospitals all over the country.

Meanwhile, the police said that they are trying to train more of their D11 (sexual crimes division) to better deal with victims of sexual assault.

“While we train our D11 unit, communication techniques have to be translated to the frontliners.

“How you take complaints that are totally different from a normal robbery… you can’t ask questions the same way,” said ACP Hamidah Yunus, the head of Bukit Aman’s Investigation of Sexual Offences division.

“But just don’t be shy with the police, we are doing our jobs, and we can help you,” she said.