Sexual harassment is an unwelcome sexual behaviour that is offensive, humiliating or intimidating. It can be written, verbal or physical, and can happen in person or online.
Harassment can occur in many different social settings such as the workplace, the home, school and so forth.
In curbing and promoting the awareness of stopping sexual harrasment, the office of Exco for Women and Family Development, Gender Inclusiveness and Religions other than Islam Chong Eng together with Penang Women Development Corporation (PWDC) organised Penang Goes Orange (PGO) annual state campaign launched on Nov 24.
In today’s PGO’s closing ceremony held at Seameo Regional Centre for Education in Science and Mathematics (RECSAM), Chong Eng delivered the closing speech to the participants.
“According to a study, 70 to 90 per cent of victims did not report sexual harassment cases. For some victims, the latent ‘perasaan’ (feeling) will eventually become critical and cause depression,” she said.
“In conjunction with the launch, PGO 2018 organised ‘The Orange Challenge’ event with variety of creative activities.
“These activities were planned with the aim of raising the awareness of 1000 participants on sexual symptoms and actions that could be taken to prevent and overcome them.
“In addition, various events were also held in public places such as Komtar, Occupy Beach Street and KDU Penang to raise awareness and support the victims to voice their experiences through the ‘Testimonial Corner.’
“The PGO campaign was also brought to the State Assembly and received tremendous support from state legislative assembly members, including the honourable Chief Minister of Penang,” stressed Chong Eng during her speech.
Apart from that, Deputy Minister of Women and Family Development Hannah Yeoh who recorded that, in many places, women are sometimes objectified and become the subject of crude jokes, yet women who do not laugh along are accused of being uptight.
“Sexual harassment can happen to both men and women. The perpetrator may be of the same or opposite sex, and may be a supervisor, a co-worker, or even a non-employee. Victims of sexual harassment can include not only direct targets of unlawful conduct, but also those who are exposed to harassment aimed at another person.”
She also pointed out that sexual harrassment is one kind of a power play and categorised as putting a hand on someone’s shoulder, spreading sexual rumours, making comments about someone’s clothing or body and so many other things in line with sexual harrassment.
“If let’s say, a mother of a child is facing sexual harassment in her workplace. She is likely to be among the many other victims who won’t speak out their problems because they don’t wish to face the embarassment among the society. This is why many perpetrators are never worried about being exposed by the victims.
“Oftentimes women are afraid to speak up about sexual harassment for fear of repercussions. I urged everyone who is facing sexual harassment to come out from the silent zone and speak out to the world. Let’s stop it from affecting the upgrowing generations,” Hannah emphasised.
Many government bodies also carrying out various campaigns and awaress courses to prevent sexual harassment cases in society. Everyone should join hands together to stop this kind of violence and build healthy community.
Also were present were PWDC chief executive officer Ong Bee Leng, Berapit assembymember Heng Lee Lee, Seri Delima assemblymember Syerleena Abdul Rashid and Sungai Pinang assemblymember Lim Siew Khim.
Story by K.Thaarshenii
Pix by Cheah Lay Ping