Youths call out school teachers, victim-blaming and harassment

 

Inspired by student Ain Husniza Saiful Nizam’s move to call out her teacher for joking about rape in class, several youths have spoken up about their traumatic experiences while at school.

They shared incidents of sexual harassment, sexual assault, inappropriate behaviour by teachers, period spot checks, bullying and victim-blaming culture.

This came from youths who said they had attended public schools, boarding schools and Mara Junior Science Colleges (MRSM).

At an online open mic session entitled “Sekolah selamat tak?” (Are schools safe?) last night, participants said schools needed to be a safer place for students.

Inappropriate teachers

Former student T* recalled how a male teacher at her MRSM once called her “sexy” after seeing a photograph of her without a headscarf.

She also shared how religious teachers would inspect female students for their sanitary pads.

“I remember a lot of times, the ustazah (religious teacher) would tell us to line up and they would check our pads, which I felt was so terrifying.

“They would ask us to sit based on what day of period we were on, and ask us to go into the toilet and tell us to show our pads,” she said.

Sabahan A* disclosed how her grades plummeted after a teacher made a racist remark against her.

She was also let down by teachers who did not believe or defend her when a male student spread an inappropriate doctored image of her.

“Only one teacher believed me and was good to me. A lot of the other teachers in my school literally hated me,” she said, adding that she was now undergoing therapy for depression, anxiety and panic attacks.

Victim-blaming

When CU* was sexually assaulted by a younger male student, she said her teachers blamed her and told her to keep quiet about what happened.

“Teachers blamed me and told me to shut my mouth to protect the school’s name. I was called up to the principal’s room and the principal asked me to not tell the police, not make a police report and not tell anyone.

“Why was everyone backing him up?” she questioned.

Similarly, H* shared that students at her MRSM rarely reported upsetting incidents involving students or teachers because they felt they would not be believed.

“They (students) can’t tell this to the seniors, they can’t report this to the teachers because they all know what will happen. They will blame (the incident on) girls and smartphones.

“They will say ‘who asked you to bring a smartphone?’ or ‘who asked you to take photos like this while dressed like that?” she said.

Bullying

During the open mic, D* shared that he was often bullied at his boarding school for being an effeminate male.

When he told his teachers about it, he was blamed for not defending himself.

However, when D fought back and inflicted injury on a boy who frequently bullied him, he said he was penalised.

“I got punished for it and I was suspended for two weeks,” he added.

The virtual event was organised by Taylor’s Speaker’s Corner in partnership with KauOKTak, an organisation that works to raise awareness about mental health among teenagers.

Ain’s #MakeSchoolsASaferPlace campaign inspired the theme, which the 17-year-old started after exposing a teacher who made rape jokes in class.

For many years, former MRSM student C* did not dare to talk openly about being threatened by a former boyfriend with rape.

Following the threat, she had attempted suicide and spiralled into substance abuse.

“I thought it was just me. When this whole movement of making schools a safer place first went viral, I was scared to speak up because I was somehow still in contact with that boy who threatened to rape me.

“But after a lot of overthinking and consideration, I finally took time to speak up,” she said. - Mkini

*Pseudonyms used.