Friday May 23, 2008
Islamic group’s uniform comment slammed
By LISA GOH
PETALING JAYA: Something must be seriously wrong with local men if the sight of girls in their school uniform turns them on, says Sisters in Islam.
Programme manager, Norhayati Kaprawi, describes claims made by National Islamic Students Association of Malaysia that the school uniform worn by girls at government schools “encouraged rape and pre-marital sex” as baseless.
“I totally disagree with the statement. What? Even wearing baju kurung is still not enough?” she asked.
“As for the white blouse being too transparent, Malay women who are in mourning wear white baju kurung. Even Umno women wear white baju kurung. So what is the issue?” she said when contacted Thursday.
Dress code debacle: An Islamic group condemned girls’ school uniform, saying it encouraged rape and pre-marital sex. The student association’s vice-president Munirah Bahari had stated that “the white blouse is too transparent for girls and it becomes a source of attraction to men, who are drawn to it, whether or not they like looking at it.”
She also called for a review of the uniform policy so that it did not violate Islamic ideals.
Women’s Aid Organisation executive director Ivy Josiah said what was needed was ”a review of misguided beliefs about women's attire,” not a review of the uniform policy.
“Statistics and research has shown that all women – young, old, women clad in tudung (headscarf), miniskirts, even babies in diapers – have been victims of rape and sexual assault.
“It is entirely irresponsible for anyone to suggest the idea that rape is a result of attire. Rape is not about attire, it’s about power that perpetrators feel they have over their victims,” she pointed out.
Even men spoke out against Munirah's logic.
Men’s Action Network Against Violence (man.v) member David Anthony said such statements stereotyped men as people who don’t see women as anything other than sex objects.
“It’s the wrong attitude ... it’s perversion,” he said.
Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Dr Ng Yen Yen declined comment.
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