‘Macho’ tag reason for underreporting of male sexual harassment, says criminologist
PETALING JAYA: A perception within society that it is impossible for a man to be sexually harassed has resulted in such cases being underreported, a criminologist said.
Shankar Durairaja of Unikop College said most male victims are afraid to report incidents of sexual harassment, especially at their workplaces, for fear of being ridiculed.
“Society often doesn’t listen to men when it comes to such cases, and makes fun of them. This is why men don’t report when they face sexual harassment,” he told FMT.
Men are themselves unable to accept that they are being sexually harassed because societal norms dictate they must be “strong and masculine”, Shankar said.
“But people should accept that men, like women, face the same type of sexual harassment,” he said.
Last month, deputy women, family and community development minister Aiman Athirah Sabu said 351 or 28.9% of 1,213 people who sought aid during an anti-sexual harassment roadshow were male.
Shankar believes this figure is merely the “tip of the iceberg”.
All Women’s Action Society, a women’s NGO, said it had received 579 reports of sexual harassment between January and September this year.
Of the figure, 77 victims were male, Awam’s information and communications officer Amanda Shweeta Louis said.
“In many cases, the perpetrator is someone known to the survivor, which includes friends, colleagues, classmates, family members and acquaintances.”
She said in Malaysian culture, sexual harassment is still considered taboo, more so when it happens to men.
“Our social norms are very patriarchal, and as a society we expect men to be ‘strong’ and ‘manly’.
“This creates a misconception that it is impossible for men to be sexually harassed as it makes them seem ‘vulnerable’.”
Women’s Centre for Change (WCC), an NGO that helps abused women and children, said “young boys are certainly vulnerable to sexual abuse”.
Its programme director Karen Lai said the public needs to encourage men to come forward and speak about or report sexual harassment.
The public should treat them with respect and not ridicule or shame them when they do so, she said.
Desain Rumah Kabin
Rumah Kabin Kontena
Harga Rumah Kabin
Kos Rumah Kontena
Rumah Kabin 2 Tingkat
Rumah Kabin Panas
Rumah Kabin Murah
Sewa Rumah Kabin
Heavy Duty Cabin
Light Duty Cabin
Source