‘Rape jokes are stupid!’: Malaysian celebs speak up against rape comment

(From left) Adibah Noor, Uyaina Arshad and Fatimah Abu Bakar are against joking about rape. Photos: The Star and Instagram

Since a student’s TikTok video about her teacher who allegedly joked and trivialised rape went viral on Twitter recently, Malaysian celebrities have come forward to lend their support to the teen.

TV host Uyaina Arshad is the latest Malaysian artiste to get on social media on the subject.

She wrote on her twitter: “Rape Is Not Okay! Rape is Never Okay!”

RAPE IS NOT OKAY RAPE IS NEVER OKAY RAPE JOKES ARE STUPID AND ONLY SHOW YOUR LEVEL OF THINKING DON’T JUST DICTATE GIRLS ON HOW THEY SHOULD DRESS BUT EDUCATE BOYS ON HOW THEY SHOULD BEHAVE & PERCEIVE WOMEN #MakeSchoolASaferPlace — UA (@UyainaArshad) April 28,2021

Actress Fatima Abu Bakar also took to social media to remark against those those who trivialise rape, treating it as a joke.

She commented it shows a lack of intelligence when men joke about rape.

“Psssst! Listen here. You DO NOT joke about rape. Never. Understand? NEVER! Don’t ever joke about rape. It’s not funny. At all. Understand. It has nothing to do with being a macho hero. Rather, it shows stupidity.”

Film director Shamyl Othman tweeted this:

Stop making jokes about rapes, stop tolerating jokes about rapes. Especially in education institutions. And especially around minors. Grow up or get out. #MakeSchoolsSafe — Shamyl Othman (@shamyl23) April 26,2021

Singer and actress Adibah Noor also took to Twitter to say that “Rape is not a material for a joke. What’s wrong with you?”

Others such as Harith Iskander and Sharifah Amani backed the teenager for speaking up.

The Star reported that the 17-year-old student had on April 23 alleged that a male teacher made jokes about rape during a physical and health education class at her school in Selangor.

She said the inappropriate remarks were made while students were discussing sexual harassment during the lesson.

After the classroom incident, the student supposedly complained to the school’s counsellor.

The student and her father lodged a police report and on Tuesday, the police took statements from students.

The youngster gave an update via another TikTok video mentioning how since making this public, she has gotten rape threats as well but she is persevering as she wants to make school a safer place for every student.

She started the hashtag #MakeSchoolASaferPlace encouraging everyone to share their stories.