Sexual harassment reports surge in Malaysia

The Social Support Centre (PSSS) of Yayasan Kebajikan Negara (YKN) has reported a surge in cases of sexual harassment, with a total of 1,213 individuals coming forward during the 12 series of the KPWKM@Advocacy Anti-Sexual Harassment Roadshow, which was launched earlier this year in May.

YKN is a non-profit organisation under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development of Malaysia. Aiman Athirah Sabu, Deputy Minister of Women, Family and Community Development, shared that out of the 1,213 reports received, 351 individuals, constituting 28.9% of the complainants, were men. She stressed that it is crucial for men to acknowledge the seriousness of this issue and not underestimate their vulnerability to sexual harassment.

The Anti-Sexual Harassment Advocacy Roadshow, initiated at the national level, was launched by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi in May. The primary objective of this initiative is to raise awareness and foster discussions on the pervasive issue of sexual harassment in the country.

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In addition to these findings, Aiman Athirah highlighted those reports of sexual harassment encompassed incidents both within the workplace and at home. According to police statistics, there were 477 documented cases of sexual harassment in 2022, representing a decrease from the 506 cases reported in 2021, and most victims were women.

However, she acknowledged that many instances of sexual harassment continue to go unreported, suggesting that the actual number of incidents may be significantly higher than official figures indicate, reported Malay Mail.