I confess I am baffled and disgusted by the recent statement made by Kota Kinabalu UMNO Protem Chief Roselan Juhar, about rape. Amongst his remarks is that, "if you cannot fight rape, better lie down and enjoy it"; and to add further insult, he suggested psychological assessment to determine the rape victims' level of enjoyment with regards to the rape. This man should be should be brought to a public forum in front of thousands of rape survivors, their families and friends, millions of men and women who care about violence against women, and be made answerable to his preposterous - and dangerous - declaration. Then, he should promptly be sacked. Through his irresponsible action, Roselan Juhar's credibility has been demonstrated as so suspect that we have to seriously question ourselves whether he has any place in representing the concerns of Malaysian citizens in the formal political machinery.

But Roselan Juhar is not is not one isolated view of one misinformed individual, Although he has since apologized, the fact that he was confident enough to vocalise such an irresponsible statement indicates that he is not alone in his thoughts. Let us not forget the miguided judgements made in the initial rape case hearing against Razali Pilen.

There are two issues at stake here. One is the blatant lack of understanding on the dynamics of rape. Another is the flagrant lack of respect shown to the need for such comprehension by political representatives.

Why is rape still such an enigma to us? Countless times, people who work with rape have shared their knowledge about its dynamics. We have read, heard and discussed with various people in our lives about rape being an act of violence. That rapists are not strangers, they target victims whom they think are weaker and more vulnerable, and use sexual violence to dominate and control. Survivors who have courageously articulated their experience so that we have their voice in the comprehension of rape, inform us of rape's derogatory and immobilising impact. It takes great strength, will, support and wisdom to overcome the trauma of rape.

We know all this. Yet, somehow, there is still a small voice at the back of our "politically-correct" minds that think rape is about pleasure and about loss of sexual control. Why?

Perhaps it is because rape is defined through sex; and sex is so loaded with assumed meanings that are never openly discussed because it is "taboo". So instead of questioning our thoughts about what sex is supposed to be for humans, men, women and ourselves as individuals, we silently swallow implicit suppositions: "men have uncontrollable sex drives", "women have no sex drives", or "if they do, women should keep them hidden, if not they are loose or easy", "sex is pleasure" or "sex is about making babies". From here, all the dangerous (mis)understandings about rape arise: women's attire or behaviour provoke rape, rapists are men who have suddenly lost control of their sexual urges, husbands cannot rape wives since the marriage contract implicitly means consent, and the most recent outrage, rape is enjoyable to both parties.

These statements are made in the face of ample empirical evidence to the contrary. Women in all forms of clothing, age and sizes have been raped, most rapists are people who are known to the survivors, acts of rape are systematically planned by rapists (including who, where and how), women who are abused by their husbands are often also subjected to sexual violence, and survivors of rape are profoundly affected by the trauma - some impacting them for their entire lives.

Our persistent reliance on the assumptions about sex and rape cannot hold up to the facts. Rape is not about sex. Rape is about power, and exertion of this power by one group of people over another. Most rapists are male and most survivors are female. Instead of resorting to more credulous beliefs about "naturally differentiated anatomy" (really, the physiological difference between men and women are minute), think about how we differently construct what sex means to men and women, and how this helps to perpetuate rape as a phenomenon in our lives.

If we constantly uphold the right of men to satiate their sexual whims, then we uphold the right of rapists to exert their power over women through sexual violence. If we defend the definition of women's sexuality as a "lack" and think of women's worth only in terms of making babies and caring for them, then we defend the right of rapists to control women through violating their inscribed sexual functions. If we assert women's value merely in superficial appearance, then we excuse rapists for their violent crime by placing the blame on women.

This column does not have the space to comprehensively deal with all the dimensions on the issue of rape. However, you can start to critically think through your own assumptions by asking yourself some questions. What are your thoughts about sex that is helping to perpetuate rape? What are your thoughts about rape that are continuing the misunderstandings of sex? Finally, who have you elected as your representative in the political forum that has the power to legislate on these beliefs and thoughts, and how are you making them accountable? If you have a thought, vocalise your concerns. Do anything but keep silent to stop the perpetuation of myths that continue to make rape a reality.

Jaclyn Kee
30th May 2004

Fortnightly Column by WAO on Sunday Mail

Related Articles:

• Press Statement - Comment on Rape
• Enjoying Rape?