KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 2 — It is irresponsible for PAS MP Datuk Dr Mohd Khairuddin Aman Razali to suggest marriage as a solution for statutory rape as it undermined the severity and trauma experienced by victims, a rights’ group said today.
Sisters in Islam (SIS) said Khairuddin’s remarks were shocking as it suggested that underage rape cases were mostly instances of consent which could be resolved through marriage.
“As a Member of Parliament, it is shocking that YB Khairuddin would undermine the severity and emotional trauma experienced by victims of underage rape cases.
“His statement, which suggests that underage rape cases are mostly cases of ‘suka sama suka’ is both irresponsible and misleading as rape can never be consensual even if an underage girl does not explicitly say no, thus the term ‘statutory rape’,” SIS said in a statement.
The women’s group added the Islamist party MP’s statement was an insult to the religion as Islam does not allow an underage victim to be married to the rapist.
“It is a mockery to Islam to say that the solution to statutory rape lies within the religion, which is to marry off children at a young age. Islam does not allow for underage marriages, especially if it is to the perpetrator himself i.e the underage girl’s rapist,” SIS said.
Khairuddin had said parents should encourage their children to get married and the government should provide incentives for the couple to tie the knot.
