Some 500 people hit the streets of Kuala Lumpur last night in support of the Citzens Against Rape campaign organised by the Joint-Action Group (JAG).
The protest was part of a series of programmes to raise awareness about rape amid a slew of such cases in recent months.
The group, which converged in front of the Sogo shopping centre, marched to Dataran Merdeka bearing anti-rape placards and candles.
Among others, the placards read, "real men don't rape, stop rape now" and "don't tell me how to dress, tell them not to rape".
All Women's Action Society (Awam) programmes director Lee Wei San said society in general lacks awareness about rape and would often merely urge the police to act when such incidents occur.
However, he said every section of society including the police, families and the media have to play their respective roles.
He said according to the police, there are an average of 3,000 rape cases a year but this is only the tip of the iceberg.
Lee said based on complaints received by Awam, many rape victims were reluctant to report to the authorities as they were often blamed instead of their assailants.
Meanwhile, Awam president Ho Yock Lin said in many rape cases, victims actually knew their attackers.
"Eighty-seven percent of rape perpetrators are not strangers to the victims," she said.
In May, it was revealed that two teenage girls in Kelantan were allegedly gang raped by some 30 men including a father and his two sons.
The following month, six soldiers were arrested for allegedly raping a 13-year-old girl in Johor.
On Aug 13, a 14-year-old girl who went to meet her 22-year-old online friend in Kuala Terengganu ended by being raped by four men.
The protest was part of a series of programmes to raise awareness about rape amid a slew of such cases in recent months.
The group, which converged in front of the Sogo shopping centre, marched to Dataran Merdeka bearing anti-rape placards and candles.
Among others, the placards read, "real men don't rape, stop rape now" and "don't tell me how to dress, tell them not to rape".All Women's Action Society (Awam) programmes director Lee Wei San said society in general lacks awareness about rape and would often merely urge the police to act when such incidents occur.
However, he said every section of society including the police, families and the media have to play their respective roles.
He said according to the police, there are an average of 3,000 rape cases a year but this is only the tip of the iceberg.
Lee said based on complaints received by Awam, many rape victims were reluctant to report to the authorities as they were often blamed instead of their assailants.
Meanwhile, Awam president Ho Yock Lin said in many rape cases, victims actually knew their attackers."Eighty-seven percent of rape perpetrators are not strangers to the victims," she said.
In May, it was revealed that two teenage girls in Kelantan were allegedly gang raped by some 30 men including a father and his two sons.
The following month, six soldiers were arrested for allegedly raping a 13-year-old girl in Johor.
On Aug 13, a 14-year-old girl who went to meet her 22-year-old online friend in Kuala Terengganu ended by being raped by four men.
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