Date: 29 September 2019
Talk by Lochna Menon
(Assisted by Tasha Prabha and Christabel Mary)
Event: National Women’s Empowerment Camp

One bright Sunday morning, AWAM gave a 1-hour talk on Sexual Harassment to a hundred girls from various states – most notably from Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang, and Sabah. These girls were flown down to attend a three-day National Women’s Empowerment Camp, organized by their English Teaching Assistants (ETAs), volunteer-graduates from the United States who work with school teachers at public schools under the Fullbright program.

AWAM’s talk consisted of an overview of gender-based violence, sexual harassment (what is it and how to navigate it), as well as setting boundaries. The session was conducted in both English and Malay, and it was well-received by the students.

Post-session, we received a total of 15 questions from various students. These questions raise important issues on Sexual Harassment at Schools, the lack of knowledge in terms of dealing with sexual harassment at schools, the importance of Comprehensive Sexuality Education, knowledge with regards to reproductive rights, and domestic violence.