Schoolgirl sex case: Don’t judge her, says exco member

Don't be too quick to blame, says Latipah, she's the victim who needs help.

MALACCA: The public should not simply criticise an individual based on an incident, especially in the case of a 15-year-old girl who was found involved in immoral activities, said a state executive councillor.

The executive councillor for women and family development, Latipah Omar, said she was disappointed as this had often been the case and had become a social norm, without realising that “the actual victim here is the teenager who is in need of help from the community”.

“When teenagers indulge in immoral activities, we form a negative impression of them. I hope the community will not be too quick to blame her as it will worsen the situation.

“It is better for us to study the teenager’s background and the reasons for her actions, instead of penalising her indiscriminately and leave her to face a bleak future,” she said.

Last Friday, a Form Four schoolgirl was reported to have been found to have had sex with several boys in her school.

It was also reported that the girl’s family lodged a report in Jasin and that eight boys, aged 15 to 16, were being held in police custody to facilitate the investigation.

Latipah said the first thing to do was to counsel the traumatised teenage girl. She said she was willing to provide such assistance.

“With the permission of her family and the authorities, we are prepared to send a professional counsellor to help the girl and her family. This is not a trivial matter because if left unchecked will lead to more problems,” she said.

She advised other parents to pay closer attention to their children’s progress and problems, especially in school.

Umno Youth education bureau chairman Mohd Rafiq Naizamohideen said the school and especially the pupil’s peers could play an important role in giving support and help to the girl.

He said peer relationships played an important role in the development of a teenager and they should be caring and responsible towards their friends and to report such cases immediately to the school.

He felt that the education and support system in the country would be able to provide the necessary assistance to adolescents in the same fate, thereby guiding them to mend their ways towards a better future.

“Parents should keep the lines of communication open, know their children’s friends, as friends can have a positive or negative influence on a teen’s life,” he said.

— BERNAMA