PETALING JAYA: Child sexual crimes can happen to anyone, even to the son of an MP.
Ahmad (not his real name), 23, was sodomised by a stranger at the age of six. Sadly, his father still doesn’t know that it happened.
“As I was growing up, my father was so busy that we would only call or message him when there was something serious or something that wouldn’t take much of his time,” he said.
“When (the abuse) happened, my father was on his way to becoming an MP, so my mother and I didn’t want to distract him.”
“I know he should know what happened, but I cannot stand the idea of him feeling like this was his fault for being too involved in work and if he hadn’t been too busy he could have prevented it.”
Studies show that one in 10 children will experience some form of sexual abuse before they turn 18. For girls, that number could be as high as one in five.
Like many other child survivors of sexual abuse, Ahmad did not make a police report, and only told his mum what had happened years later.
“We didn’t know what to do. It was 2007 and this was a rare and stigmatised issue, so the only people who knew what happened are my mother, sister and grandmother,” he said.
Ahmad only realised what he experienced was sexual assault when he watched the movie The Kite Runner at the age of 12. He then confided in his mother, who blamed herself for weeks.
“I had to sit in my room pretending I didn’t hear my mum crying and praying for forgiveness,” said Ahmad.
“It was so hard the first time; I don’t think I can go through it again (with my father).”
Ahmad is currently finishing his degree in university and hopes to graduate with first class honours.
While Ahmad’s father has not pledged for R.AGE’s MPs Against Predators campaign, Ahmad is confident his father will support the Sexual Offences Against Children Bill 2017.
“Generally, an MP’s job is to serve the people in his area, but this time he can do so much more than just serve his constituency,” said Ahmad.
“This Bill is the start of something big. Previously, our laws weren’t focused enough on the children.
“I’m very happy that my dad is an MP and I hope he will pledge for the campaign.”
Ahmad credits R.AGE’s investigative documentary series Predator In My Phone for highlighting the urgency of addressing child sexual crimes.
“(Predator) showed that sex predators are now brave enough to invite a child into a hotel,” said Ahmad.
“What happened to me took just five minutes, and for other children, that’s all it will take for the predators to do what they want and leave.”
Watch the full Predator In My Phone series and support the campaign for new laws against child sexual crimes at facebook.com/ ragepmp.
Read more at http://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2017/03/30/even-children-of-vips-are-not-safe-mps-son-reveals-that-he-was-sexually-abused-by-a-stranger-at-age/#gzPkx1E5oSXOyx4v.99
