PENANG Pakatan Harapan women leaders today launched the hashtag #breakthesilence to urge victims of sexual harassment to expose the perpetrators, no matter how “powerful” they may be.

This is following a news report that women journalists in Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines had been sexually harassed on the job, including by MPs who were married.. 

Penang exco for women, Chong Eng said the coalition leaders wished to offer the victims moral support as well as legal aid, urging them to come forward with their stories. 

She said women must stand together to stop sexual harassment at the workplace. 

“Following the news report, there were questions about the authenticity of the alleged events. We don’t know what really happened. 

“But it is not easy to come out and say you were a victim of sexual harassment and expose the perpetrator, as our culture makes it difficult,” she told a press conference today.

“The culprits are often more powerful than the victims, and in this case we read that they are MPs and in government. 

“Even internationally, we have seen that women have to be in a powerful position to gain attention in such issues.”

Chong, who is the PH Wanita national deputy chief, stressed that the victims should step up and expose the perpetrators, no matter how highly placed they might be.

She also called on the federal government to create a law that dealt with sexual harassment, especially this year when Malaysia was celebrating women empowerment. 

Men who deplored such acts should also support this new law so that all men and women can be protected from sexual harassment, she said. 

“We should push for such a law. Now, the authorities may deal with sexual harassment as criminal intimidation or some other offence. 

“Sexual harassment is hard to prove as it happens privately. It would be good to have a law that can specify what kind of conduct constitutes sexual harassment,” the DAP Wanita leader said. 

Another way to address this, Chong said, was to have more women in positions of power and in politics. 

“Women who are capable, please join politics where you can use your position to help others. The number (of women) matters. 

Asian Correspondent reported last week that two Malaysian and an  Indonesian journalists said they had received unwanted sexual advances via text messages, physical contact, and dinner invitations.

Some of the victims said when they reported the advances to their superiors, they were told to work it to their advantage to land a scoop. 

DAP Wanita national assistant publicity secretary Syerleena Abdul Rashid said it was understandable that the women journalists had felt powerless when they found themselves harassed by MPs. 

“But you have a support system. There are many avenues for you to lodge reports. You can contact any of us too.”

She said sexual harassment was a problem in male-dominated sectors such as politics, and the problem was not dealt with.

An attitude like that of National Union of Journalists Malaysia president Mohd Taufek Razak did not help, she said.

Taufek had responded to the Asian Correspondent report by reminding women journalists not to wear clothes that were “too revealing or sexy” and to be mindful of their conduct, as it was natural for men to be attracted to women. 

“His statement was off the mark. He more or less blamed the victims, which was unfair. This attitude must stop,” she said. 

Last Friday, Syerleena lodged a police report and urged a woman, who was caught on video being assaulted by a man for not wearing a headscarf earlier this month, to go to the police. 

The woman finally went to the police yesterday. 

Pulau Tikus assemblyman Yap Soo Huey said if Syerleena did not lodge the report, no one else would.

“There is a lot of silence and inaction,” she said, citing the Silicon Valley’s sexual harassment crisis in the US that came to light last year .

“It is proof that sexual harassment can go on for many years if not exposed as women fear their careers will be affected and other future inconveniences.”

Sungai Pinang rep Lim Swee Khim also encouraged victims to not keep silent. 

“We always see how women fall victim. Have courage and speak up. We will give you our support. 

“We also hope the police will investigate such reports fairly. We don’t want selective investigations,” she said. 

Malaysia has seen a number of sexual harassment complaints. 

In the 1990s, young athlete Rabia Abdul Salam committed suicide after she was allegedly sexually harassed by her coach. 

More recently, a national diving coach was charged with raping a diver in his charge in September last year.  – January 22, 2018.