Segambut MP Hannah Yeoh and Batu Kawan MP Kasthuri Patto criticised religious affairs minister Idris Ahmad over his remarks on a teenage actress who recently shared that she was molested by her father when she was younger.
Idris was quoted by Berita Harian as saying the 15-year-old should not have gone public with her experience, but should instead have reported the incident to the police and let the law take its course.
Kasthuri, while agreeing that victims should lodge police reports, said those in ministerial positions, however, should not make statements that demoralised the victim. They should also not downplay the issue.
“When men in powerful positions trivialise such a big issue that is plaguing children, it sends a disastrous message to (sexual) predators and discourages victims from speaking up,” she told FMT.
She also said Idris, being a person of faith, should be the first to condemn the incident to set an example on how others should react when victims share their struggles.
Kasthuri said the teenager had a right to speak up about her experience and that by doing so, she was paving the way for other survivors to break their silence.
In a podcast interview, the child star claimed that her father had molested her when she was younger. It was reported that the teenager had cut ties with him.
Yeoh said Idris’ response reflected the type of mindset that had always deterred victims from coming forward.
“Ministers really need to undergo training to have more empathy,” she told FMT.
She added that Idris showed, in asking the teenager to lodge a police report against a family member, that he did not understand the challenges faced by children who were victims of sexual abuse.
Women’s Aid Organisation senior advocacy officer Kiran Kaur chimed in, saying that the minister’s statement would perpetuate stigmas around sexual abuse incidents.
“Survivors should be supported in bravely sharing their stories and speaking out against violence. They do not deserve to be met with disempowering responses,” she told FMT.
Deputy minister for women, family, and community development Siti Zailah Mohd Yusoff today confirmed that the victim and her mother had made a police report on the incident, according to Harian Metro.
The Sun Daily reported that police had launched an investigation into the incident.