Stop Normalizing Rape Jokes!
Muhammad Yusainy Mohamad Yunus
No one should be making issues of rape and sexual violation as part of their comedic content.
The repercussions of rape jokes are serious and damaging, and could possibly impact the victim or survivors’ mental and emotional stability.
Making jokes where rape and its survivors as the punchline only normalizes the problem and sends out the wrong message to the people.
"Rape jokes are not funny and those abused must speak up".
That was the strong message sent by national diving queen Datuk Pandelela Rinong after the issue had gone viral on social media, following a local actor’s thorough description of a rape scene in his previous film on a recent television show.
Citing a previous issue faced by the national diving camp, the 28-year-old diver claimed that a former coach often told 'dirty jokes' before the individual went on to rape one of the national divers some years back.
Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Faizal Azumu took the issue on social media, stressing that rape jokes will not be tolerated and unacceptable in any setting.
“Rape is not a joke. The safety of our athletes remains a priority,” he said on Twitter.
Meanwhile, Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin replied to Pandelela’s tweet complimenting the two-time Olympic medallist for her bravery in speaking up regarding the issue.
Khairy, who is also the former Youth and Sports Minister, said the safety of the athletes from any physical and mental abuse is more important than winning the medals.
Malaysia United Democratic Alliance’s (Muda) Women Empowerment bureau is against any acts or discourse of trivialising rape, even more so when it is for general viewing and involving minors.
According to its statement, women should be identified as sex objects and that rape jokes must be stopped before it becomes a norm in the Malaysian society.
