The 12th series of the KPWKM@Advocacy Anti-Sexual Harassment Roadshow, launched in May, has prompted 1,213 individuals to report sexual harassment incidents to the Social Support Centre (PSSS) of Yayasan Kebajikan Negara (YKN) in Kangar.
According to Deputy Women, Family and Community Development Minister Aiman Athirah Sabu, 351 of the complainants, or 28.9%, were men. She emphasized that men should not overlook the issue as they are also susceptible to sexual harassment.
The national-level Anti-Sexual Harassment Advocacy Roadshow was inaugurated by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi on May 29 in Putrajaya, with the objective of promoting awareness about sexual harassment in society.
Aiman Athirah further stated in a press conference that the PSSS inventory included reports of sexual harassment occurrences in the workplace and at home. Additionally, police statistics indicated that 477 cases of sexual harassment were reported in 2022, slightly lower than the 506 cases reported in 2021, with a majority of the victims being women.
Nevertheless, Aiman Athirah acknowledged that numerous incidents of sexual harassment remain unreported, implying that the actual number of cases could be higher than the reported figures.
Referring to a report by Unicef Malaysia in 2021, Aiman Athirah mentioned that at least 4% of children aged 12 to 17 years old have been subjected to clear instances of online sexual exploitation and abuse.
– Bernama
