Kota Kinabalu: Assistant Minister of Community Development and Consumers Affairs, Jornah Mozihim, said the fight against rape is not solely in the hands of women.

She said men’s groups mobilising against gender violence are necessary allies of change.

“Experience in a number of countries shows that women and men can be mobilised to overcome rape in all its forms and that effective public measures can be taken to address both the causes and the consequences of rape,” she said.

She said this when officiating at the Forum on Violence against Women - With Focus on Rape, attended by over 250 people from both the public and private sectors, here, Monday. The forum was organised by the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) Sabah Branch.

According to Jornah, inadequate documentation and lack of research on rape, including the workplace, impede efforts to design specific intervention strategies.

The forum heard that women are at times vulnerable to rape perpetrated by persons in positions of authority.

The Assistant Minister asserted that in addressing violence against women, the Government and other actors should promote an active and visible policy of mainstreaming a gender perspective in all policies and programmes “so that before decisions are taken, an analysis may be made of their effects on women.”

Jornah pointed out that societal mores keep women who are victims of rape imprisoned behind rigid walls of silence and shame.

“More often than not, threats of reprisal from the rapist/abuser, his family and the community intimidate victims.

“And because of fear, women may decline to speak out or press criminal charges.”

At this juncture, she called for a framework to address the issue of rape. She said a comprehensive strategy, coupled with legal and institutional interventions, must focus on such linkages with the wider society.

“The focus should be on victims, the public institutions, laws and policies and enforcement agents.”

The Assistant Minister perceives the need to address the social and psychological situation of victims of rape, the cultural values that tolerate gender-based violence and the legal system’s position and response.

“What formulates the basis for crafting effective interventions is carefully-constructed research to understand the nature and scope of the violence.” To respond to the needs of the victims, Jornah said protection and support systems must be made available.

Women, she added, must be enabled to understand the extent and limits of the law, to create new options for their own lives and to organise for political action.

“In addition, information regarding the prevalence and form of the violence of rape must be widely disseminated.”

She expressed confidence that representatives of institutions - religious and social - could assist victims’ need to be trained in appropriate responses.

“They must also be taught how to collaborate with state agencies to provide adequate services. Medical, legal and other personnel who could respond to victims’ needs and explain rights must be trained, and adequate services must be made available to effectively respond to the crisis.”

Lawyers, she said, must be taught how to make the law accessible to women who have been abused (raped).

Jornah stressed that there is an urgent need for a task force to be set up to bring together healthcare professionals, lawyers and police officers for a training workshop on violence protection techniques for women and children.

She listed out four things that the task force could accomplish: * To develop a crisis line

* To establish a training centre for professionals working with abused women and children

* To establish a violence prevention centre

* To document cases of rape and provide referral services for victims The Assistant Minister feels that the media plays a responsible role too in raising awareness and promoting non-stereotyped images of women and men, as well as in eliminating patterns of media presentation that generate violence.

“Towards this end, those responsible for media content should be encouraged to establish professional guidelines and codes of conduct.”

Calling on the media to play an important role, Jornah said they could inform and educate people about the causes and effects of violence against women and stimulate public debate on the topic.

She also emphasised the need to debunk the myths surrounding rape, including the tendency to blame the victims.

Women, she said, will only be able to contribute their full potential if they have protection.

“Today’s forum by Suhakam is in fact a catalyst, supporting the needs and concerns of women to this critical issue of national interest.”

It is her hope that the old era of bias against victims of rape ends so that a new era of understanding dawns.

Four papers were presented by United Sabah Chinese Women Association’s Honorary Life President Christina Liew, lawyer Hjh Mariati Robert (Sabah Lawyers Association), Queen Elizabeth Hospital’s Specialist in Obstetrics and Gynaecology Dr Hj Mohd Hatta Tarmizi and Legal and Prosecution Officer ASP Goh Lee Fook from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Royal Malaysia Police, Sabah Contingent.

The moderators were Suhakam Commissioners Datuk Ranita Mohd Hussein, Prof Datuk Dr Hj Mohd Hamdan Adnan and Datuk Dr Sharifah Hapsah Syed Hasan Sahabudin, Chairperson of Sabah Women’s Advisory Council (MPWS) Datuk Noni J. Said and former President of the Sabah Law Association Lawrence Chong.