Provide clear timeline on sexual harassment bill, say women’s groups

 

The government says the draft of the sexual harassment bill is in the final stage of scrutiny by the Attorney-General’s Chambers.

PETALING JAYA: A coalition of women’s groups has urged the government to provide a clear timeline for the tabling of the Sexual Harassment Bill.

The Joint Action Group for Gender Equality (JAG) wondered how the government intends to deliver the bill by March when Parliament remains suspended.

Women, family and community development minister Rina Harun had said yesterday the draft of the bill was in the final stage of scrutiny by the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC). She said it was expected to be ready in March and tabled in the next Parliament meeting.

Rina was commenting on calls by several parties, including her predecessor, Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, to expedite the tabling of the bill.

This comes after sexual harassment allegations involving the police surfaced recently on social media.

JAG said survivors of sexual harassment were still facing an uphill struggle to find justice for their traumatic experiences.

“Part of the need for an independent sexual harassment act is to fill the gap in legal recourse for survivors outside of the employment context as well as those who may not want to file a police report,” it said.

This recourse, it said, needed to consider how not all survivors can afford to bring civil suits against their perpetrators.

Referring to the case of a Mongolian woman who filed a civil suit against a police officer for false imprisonment and sexual assault, it said her initial case was struck out because she could not raise RM70,000 as security deposit.

JAG also urged police to investigate claims of sexual harassment immediately and hold those involved responsible for their actions. - FMT