YOURSAY | ‘I don't get what ‘social problems’ are remedied by rapists marrying their victims.’

BN MP: Marriage after rape a remedy for 'social problems'

David Dass: It is shocking to hear views like this. And from a former Syariah Court judge too. There are several issues here.

Should a rapist be allowed to marry his victim as a remedy for a social problem? The only context here must be the fact that sex was with a minor and that the rape was statutory rape, that is, consensual sex with a minor child as opposed to forcible or violent rape. So, the solution for rape of a minor child is to force or allow the rapist to marry the child?

The question must be asked - a solution for whose social problem? The fact that a criminal can be rehabilitated by making him marry the victim of his crime? Or is it the social problem of a minor child having sex whilst still a minor?

Is this an argument to de-criminalise sex with a minor child? That it is okay to have sex with a minor child provided you are prepared to marry her when caught? Would this affect the deterrent value of the law?

Is this a way to deal with the shame of rape of a minor child or the shame of having a minor child have sex as a minor and that shame is reduced or lessened by the subsequent marriage of the minor child to the rapist? Would this kind of 'solution' have the effect of reducing the perceived immorality of the act of an adult having sex with a minor child?

Is forgiveness the issue here? Who forgives whom? The minor child, who was the victim, forgives the adult who raped her? If she was not competent under the law to consent to sex in the first place, how is she able to forgive the rapist while she is still a minor child?

Is the state not a party here? Does the state not look after the interest of the community at large in having laws to protect minors from their own youth and inability to understand the nature and consequences of their actions whilst holding adults responsible for their actions?

This former syariah judge also says that the marriage could turn out to be a good marriage and who is to say that the man will not turn out to be a good guy. Do many people believe that? And is that the issue here?

I suppose a poll should be taken to find out how many people would want their minor children to marry the man who raped her. There can be circumstances where a 17-year-old and a 15-year-old go too far. And sex results in pregnancy. They may be in love. And the parents and the girl and boy want them to marry (when they come of age).

Perhaps in that situation one can see the marriage as a 'solution'. But sex with a nine-year-old? Puberty at nine does not make a child competent to marry. Parents and experts on the subject should weigh in.

Anonymous 2415891461978791: I don't get what "social problems" are remedied by rapists marrying their victims.

Is it that the rapist will now only rape his poor wife? Oh yes, according to some, marital rape is a "Western invention" and has no place is our thinking.

Or is the social problem because of the "provocative" rape victim, who obviously was living a "wild life" or she would not have been raped anyway?

Existential Turd: Instead of punishing the rapist, the BN MP, and a former Shariah court judge no less, is proposing to reward the criminal. He is pouring salt on the wound of all rape victims.

So, a serial rapist gets to marry all his victims? Or you only start the punishment at victim no 5? We have trains that are specially reserved for women. So, if you rape a woman in a women-only coach, you will be punished for trespassing but not for raping?

But it should not come as a surprise. So many crimes are overlooked under BN’s watch. Some we might say are even allegedly aided and abetted by them. Note the outright thievery, outsourced thuggery and hate speeches they seem to embrace. If you can't score, move the goal post. If you can't pass, lower the passing grade.

But of course, he (Tasek Gelugor MP Shabudin Yahaya) will soon blame the media for misquoting or misrepresenting him. And what of the people of Tasek Gelugor who elected him? Shame on you.

Ravinder: Shabudin’s advice to men is: If you fancy a girl, and she is not interested in you, rape her. If she makes a police report and you are charged, marry her under religious laws and escape punishment.

Any time after that, if you actually don’t want her as your wife, divorce her under the same religious laws. You are a free man, and free to repeat the process again and again – rape, marry, divorce; rape, marry, divorce.

What a good remedy for social problems, as if baby dumping is not enough.

Clever Voter: Rape is about the exercise of power over women. Such violence cannot be condoned, irrespective of religious faith and belief. It is therefore a crime. If we allow such an act of violence, we might as well extend the same treatment to all other violence crimes.

Studies show that majority of rape victims suffer psychological impacts and depression. Many lose their dignity. Contrast this with the proposed caning and cutting of limbs for relatively less serious crimes.

How on earth do we find a so-called MP lacking the basic decency to treat women with respect, and much worse his views on child marriage. I wonder if he would marry off his 12-year-old daughter to her rapist. Same question applies to all idiotic politicians who support such despicable suggestion!

OMG!: If Shabudin’s views reflect those of majority Muslims here, they also reflect our structural flaws. He spoke of the rapists and their victims. For Muslims, the rule on child marriage are different.

Thus, he refers to rapists who may be said to "trespass" on the bodies of young girls and then say they can legitimise that evil crime by marrying the girls.

The metaphor here is to the entitlement mentality (spawned by 60 years of constitutional privileges) for one race to encroach or "trespass" on the rights to equality (as in any other nation on Earth) of other Malaysians (Chinese and Indian minorities) and then, legitimise that transgression by the assertion that all from that race were here first (which can easily be disputed by many examples).

Thus, this legitimises the dispossession of the rights of certain citizens. Why is anyone surprised?

Meerkat: Shabudin needs his five minutes of fame. His brain is not good enough to say something good that people will take notice. So, it’s better to say something stupid. At least that will please his supporters, who will continue to vote for him.

No religion should condone ‘rape and marry’ option

Shabudin Yahaya and our rape culture

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