PETALING JAYA: The use of a cactus as the symbol for the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry's campaign to spread awareness about child sexual abuse has drawn stinging feedback from child rights advocates.
Consultant paediatrician and child rights advocate Datuk Dr Amar-Singh HSS said the appropriateness of a cactus was questionable despite the good intentions of the campaign.
ALSO READ: Malaysia does not need another 'Richard Huckle', says Wanita MCA
"Describing the child protective community as 'thorns' is an odd metaphor while telling children to stand firm and be strong in the face of a horrendous crime is not the appropriate message to send.
"Most nations that have launched similar campaigns use more appropriate and meaningful images with direct messages that make it easier for children to understand the campaign's purpose immediately just by viewing them.
ALSO READ: Father of teen actress lodges report over claims he molested and beat her
"The cactus symbol is unclear and needs extensive explanation, making it hard to motivate the public with such an indistinct symbol," Dr Amar said.
Child rights activist and Suriana Welfare Society chairman James Nayagam said the five-pointed cactus symbol was too vague, making it difficult for children to find meaning in the symbol at a glance.
"Unless an older person is there to explain it in depth, the cactus essentially holds no meaning to the young people it is trying to reach.
"It is apparent that the person who came up with the idea, had little to no knowledge about the whole issue," he said, adding that from a young child's perspective, it would be difficult to associate a cactus with sexual abuse protection.
James was also critical of an apparent lack of monitoring to gauge the effectiveness of such campaigns.
"Spreading awareness about the issue is nothing new and has been done repeatedly almost every year with seemingly little success as the rate of child sexual abuse only seems to be increasing.
"While awareness campaigns are nice on the surface, there has to be a more practical and comprehensive approach to develop detailed strategies to counter child sexual abuse crimes.
"Other than experts, including youth and children in discussions is vital as they provide a direct perspective on the most effective solutions.
"They (the ministry) must also monitor and disclose the effectiveness of solutions to the public as people have the right to know how their money is being spent," James said, adding that both parents and their children must be equally educated on the issue.
