Kuching: A proposal suggesting that victims of statutory rape should be punished is ‘baseless and harmful,’ said DAPSY Kuching secretary Lesley Chong, in response to recent remarks by Kelantan police chief Yusoff Mamat.
Chong described the statement as ‘appalling and shocking,’ calling it irresponsible and deeply insensitive.
“Such a suggestion trivialises the trauma experienced by survivors of sexual violence and perpetuates harmful misconceptions about consent,” she said in a statement.
Chong emphasised that statutory rape is a serious criminal offence and not a matter to be minimised through careless remarks, especially from a senior law enforcement officer.
“The very term ‘statutory rape’ exists precisely because the law recognises that victims are not of an age where they are mature enough to make their own decisions in giving consent to sex.
“To claim that young girls should share responsibility with perpetrators, when the law itself protects them from premature sexual activity, is baseless and ignorant,” she stressed.,” she said.
She further warned that when law enforcement officers make such public statements, it creates a harmful environment for young girls in Malaysia, leading them to believe that they are at fault for crimes committed against them, despite being legally incapable of giving consent.
“If even senior officers in high positions make comments that put underage girls’ safety at risk, where else should these young women seek protection and justice when they need it most?” she asked.
Instead, she urged authorities to focus on preventive measures, including comprehensive sex education, teaching healthy decision-making, and fostering safe spaces for open conversations about consent and sexual health.
“Statutory rape is not a trivial matter that should be minimised. Survivors of sexual violence deserve protection and justice, not blame or punishment,” she concluded.
