By: Natalie Shobana
Ambrose
theSun, Malaysia (pg
12)
June 14th, 2012
In the old Broadway musical Annie Get Your Gun, Betty
Hutton and Howard Keel sing the ultimate battle of the sexes song Anything You
Can Do I Can Do Better. This age old anthem ends with both actors
simultaneously asserting their abilities and disputing their opponent, with
Betty adamantly shout-singing “yes I can, can, can” and Howard forcefully
insisting “no you can’t”.
Amusing as it is, there is an
exasperated Betty in many women that has flourished the seeds of empowerment
around the world. There are various organisations, civil society and
individuals who have worked hard to balance the scales heavily tipped against
equality. The enumerated list includes international agreements assuring access
to medical care, property ownership, training, credit, employment and the right
to control one’s own fertility.
Governments then restructure laws to
ensure that they are on track to achieve Millennium Development Goal 3 to
“promote gender equality and empower women”. This is all done in the
belief that women will then have the “freedom to participate more fully and
equally in society” (United Nations Population Fund).
All positive initiatives, but what
has been glazed over is the escalating number of crimes against women,
especially in developed or developing countries such as ours.
Imagine a woman empowered by her
society, community and government to be the best she can possibly be –
education: check, opportunity: check, access to the same infrastructure and
services: check, yet is unable to walk in a car park in broad daylight without
fearing for her safety – how empowered is she then?
What we have in Malaysia are women
who are somewhat empowered in the boardroom but don’t have the same basic
freedoms outside the office because they are seen as an easy target. So now, we
double tint our car windows as a deterrent, so that it’s just a little bit
harder to steal our handbags and personal belongings that are already tucked
away under the passenger seat – and if they do smash the window, don’t put up a
fight because the potential harm from a knife is far worse than losing your
personal effects and that handbag you saved up for and love. If someone hits
your car, don’t stop, don’t get out – just drive to the nearest police station
and make a report. You do not want to be the victim of a
car-jacking-kidnapping-assault. Does this sound like empowerment?
Don’t go jogging alone, don’t stay
out too late, make sure you’re covered up, eagle eyes as you enter your house,
learn self-defence, have a personal alarm, car alarm, house alarm, clutch your
handbag when on the street, don’t walk alone, don’t drive alone, don’t live
alone – basically you’re not safe doing anything on your own, even if you just
want to run to the store for some eggs at night – don’t do it.
If anything bad happens, it’s
because you were not vigilant enough or you really need your man/ mother/
father/ sister/ brother/ friend/ fill in the blank – someone to be with you at
all times. God forbid, that you should actually decide to go to an ATM alone
past sunset.
Is that what empowerment is? No
matter how independent women are, the level of crime against them in our
country quickly zaps away all efforts to empower and instil a healthy
self-esteem.
We can measure gender parity by
tertiary level enrolment, the number of seats held in national parliament,
literacy rates and employment in the non-agriculture sector, and churn out a
glowing register; yet if empowered women are to adjust their daily lives to the
real threat of crime against them, how well have we moved towards empowering
women? This reflects badly on how our society views women and what the
authorities are willing to spend their time on.
Sadly, the rising crime rate too has
become a political pawn and leaders are more interested in perception than
actually stopping the brutality. Beefing up security just before crime rates
are measured does not give a true reflection of actual crime rates. What good
is touting the achievement of national key indicators when the reality on the
ground reflects otherwise?
If crimes against women are dealt
with in a more serious and systematic manner and not filed under petty crime
with a “oh, these things happen”, couldn’t-care-less mentality, maybe then we
might just be empowering women in Malaysia to believe that they are capable of
doing anything that a man can do – even if it’s just a supermarket run alone at
9pm after a long day in the office.
Natalie would like to see more serious and concerted
action by the authorities in curbing crimes against women – and not silly
public service announcements about having to be vigilant.
Comments: letters@thesundaily.com
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