Penang mufti speaks out against period spot checks

 

Penang mufti Wan Salim Wan Mohd Noor has spoken out against the practice of checking whether schoolgirls are having their menstrual period.

He said no one has the right to embarrass girls and women by checking their private parts to see whether they are menstruating.

"Islam doesn't allow for children to be treated in a way that embarrasses them, such as inspecting their privates to check whether or not they are menstruating.

"Islam strongly forbids its followers to see the privates of others, even if it is to prevent female students from skipping prayers," he told Malaysiakini.

Wan Salim's (above) comments came after a group of women shared their experiences of being humiliated, groped and violated in the search for “proof of menstruation” as they did not join daily congregational prayers.

Those who spoke to Malaysiakini about their experiences said the measures included showing their blood-soaked sanitary pads, doing swabs of their vagina with either cotton buds, tissues, or their fingers, or having a teacher, warden, or school prefect pat them down at the groin to see if they are wearing a sanitary pad, they said.

Meanwhile, Malaysian Muslim Doctors Organisation (Perdim) president Ahmad Shukri Ismail said period spot checks were excessive.

"The individual's testimony is sufficient and there is no need to go to the extent of checking their sanitary pads.

"There is no compulsion in Islam, and Islam is easy. Don't complicate matters to the point that people view Islam as being too rigid," Ahmad Shukri said.

Both Wan Salim and Ahmad Shukri said it is sufficient for Muslim parents to teach their children to perform their daily prayers and to be honest.

In Islam, the five daily prayers are compulsory for anyone who has reached puberty. For girls, puberty is marked by menstruation.

Ahmad Shukri believes that those who lie about menstruating were in the minority and that schools should not act excessively.

Women speak out

Over a dozen individuals reached out to Malaysiakini after a call for stories was made. They recalled how the behaviour towards menstruation at boarding schools was “shaming” but were accepted as “normal practice”.

Dr Harlina Halizah Siraj - professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology and Medical Education (Clinical Teaching) from the Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) - said that if the testimonies were true then this is a serious issue that needs addressing.

"That is really encroaching into women's privacy and I don't see why it has to be done in this way.

"As an obstetrician and gynaecologist, I believe a young woman should not have to prove that she is having her (menses). You should take a woman's word for it," Harlina told Malaysiakini.

She said that while she had stayed in a residential school, she never experienced or witnessed such events, but is very concerned it has come to this level.

"There are a few issues that need considering. There is a crisis of lack of trust from the authorities to the students. It may start off about discipline but seems to have evolved into a form of harassment and disrespect.

"I think we need to see why this is becoming an issue and at the end of the day, we should not let this be an issue that fizzles out.

"This is an opportunity for us to educate ourselves on privacy and sexual harassment. These cases that are being highlighted are really not the right way to treat the students," said Harlina.

Meanwhile, Fadhlina Sidek - head of legal and community development of Wanita PKR - objects strongly to period-shaming.

"The act of groping girls to make sure whether they are menstruating or not is sexual harassment.

"While the act of asking them to show their bloody pads as evidence of menstruation is a crime of bullying, degradation and disturbs the emotions of girls," Fadhlina said.

"Why do we still treat menstruating girls as if they are committing crimes? Just because you want to make sure they are not cheating on their obligations? Or because you want to force them not to avoid worship?

"If that’s the only reason, then the act of groping and asking them to show their pad is outrageous. This is not proper education and advocacy about menstruation, not to mention reproductive health or preaching," Fadhlina added. - Mkini