KUALA LUMPUR: The National Union of Journalists (NUJ) president Mohd Taufek Razak regrets the impression he has given on sexual harassment, which appeared to have put the blame on the victim.
Taufek said this after coming under fire from activists, journalists and women nationwide following a suggestion that female journalists should dress appropriately and be mindful of their conduct to prevent such harassment.
The statement was recorded by newsportal MalaysiaKini on Tuesday after a question and answer session with Taufek, following a report published by the Asian Correspondent, which related the experiences of two female Malaysian journalists who were sexually harassed by politicians.
“NUJ realises that the dressing and appearance of journalist should not be blamed as a cause of sexual harassment. We do not endorse such a stance. The union also regrets the impression given by specific remarks that appeared to victim blame,” said Taufek in a statement to the press today.
The statement also attached the questions and answers posed by the news portal and the replies that he had given them in full.
Taufek also said that NUJ acknowledged the presence of sexual harassment faced by media professionals in the course of doing their jobs.
“This is exacerbated by the need to maintain good ties with contacts, who may abuse that relationship. We also understand that proving sexual harassment cases is a difficult and often humiliating process for those affected,” he added.
“This made it all the more important for those affected to report these cases, and for media professionals to set clear boundaries with their contacts to reduce the risk of being placed in vulnerable situations.
“We also urge editors and company management to be there to support their staff. Harassment cannot be assumed to be part of ‘business as usual’.”
He said that the union would support and assist media professionals affected by such harassment.
NUJ also urged those in positions of power over journalists including politicians to not take advantage of them.
“Reiterating our earlier reply to MalaysiaKini, those in power must ensure their interactions with media are done professionally and with integrity. Media professionals also need to be bold in stepping forward against their harassers,” he added.
In the report by the Asian Correspondent, the women related how politicians had touched them inappropriately or sent lewd texts. The women said they were forced to put up with the harassment as part of their jobs.
In an interview with news portal Malaysiakini on Tuesday, Taufek had also said that it was natural for men to be attracted to women and vice-versa, and it was the process that determines whether this develops into sexual harassment.
He was quoted as saying, “In the context of female journalists, particularly attractive ones, sexual harassment can easily happen if both sides reciprocate. Do not wear clothes that are too revealing or sexy, decline interviews at inappropriate places such as nightclubs or a politician’s home. Female journalists must have strong integrity and use appropriate ways to obtain news stories.”
All Women’s Action Society (Awam) assistant programme manager Lee Wei San stressed on the importance of having a standalone law on sexual harassment and for the mindset of the people, who victim blame based on women’s dressing, to be changed in order to address the issue.
“We need to make them understand that a person’s worth is not based on how they dress and having a good law will not give any impact if the mindset stays the same,” she said.
Currently, there is no comprehensive law on sexual harassment in Malaysia. Section 509 of the Penal Code, which criminalises the offence of “insulting the modesty of a woman” with a custodial penalty of up to five years, has been regarded as insufficient to encompass all elements of sexual harassment.