Two schoolboys were remanded since Friday to assist in rape investigations of a fellow 13 year old female student in a store room 3 days ago in Malacca.
Education Minister Mahdzir Khalid told Free Malaysia Today that the ministry viewed the matter seriously as the offence was said to have been committed in the school.
“If it is true, then the police must take action because it is a criminal case,” he told reporters.
Statistics
It is said that 1 female is raped every 35 minutes in Malaysia and with most cases involving victims below the age of 16.
Statistics from the Home Ministry also indicated that from 2005 to July 2014, out of the 28,471 rape cases that were reported, only 4,514 (16%) were brought to court with merely 756 (2.7%) perpetrators found guilty.
“There are 3,000 rape cases reported every year on average in Malaysia with only two out of 10 cases going to court.
We have also seen an increase in underage rape from 3% in 1997 to 23% in 2015.
Why It Doesn’t Get Reported
- Shame
- Self Blame
- Feeling young and helpless
- Because most get no justice when they do
- Desire to move on
- Do not want to go through legal processes
Is It What They Watch?
credit : allsingaporestuff.com
What could have driven these young schoolboys to rape a fellow student??
Could it be that in this internet age and time, parents do not monitor or limit what teens watch when they are alone? Despite Malaysian Communication and Multimedia Commission(MCMC) efforts blocking access to some of the most popular porn websites, porn is still easily accessible.
What Drives Them?
Dr. N. G. Berrill, forensic psychologist and the Executive Director of New York Forensics, says this:
“Perpetrators of gang rape and lone attackers typically have very different psychological profiles.”
credit : www.star2.com
A lone rapist is someone who consciously, obsessively thought about rape, and works alone. A group offers a whole new dynamic. Peer pressure and the need to be accepted are strong factors that push teens to make impulsive, spur of the moment decisions.
“Teenage boys in a group can be the most dangerous human beings on the planet.”
“The group factor acts as a strong motivator for individuals to do things they otherwise might not. Alone, they might not ever commit rape, but the group works to reinforce itself.”
Sometimes the fear of being judged, drive these teens to do just about anything. They fear being outcast by peers, their reputation is everything. Being caught is the last thing on their mind. However when caught, these teens who aren’t really driven by desire in the first place,are the ones who might feel empathy, remorse and guilt.
credit: Broadly Vice
What Can We Do As Parents?
I guess it’s tough being a teenager eh? Especially when you are bombarded with a highly sexualised world, physical and psychological changes to your mind and body, combined with the pressures of finding your own identity in society. As busy as parents can be these days, we really need to be proactive and attentive to our children.
Try to keep communication channels open. Guide and nurture them on what is right and wrong. Listen and remember you were once subjected to all those challenges too. Keep a lookout for any behavioral changes and try your best to handle it positively.
Have them contact the Befrienders if they refuse to open up to you. The goal is to give them a positive avenue to rant and vent. Sometimes, all they really need is a listening ear.
