Professional women vulnerable too

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KOTA KINABALU: Even professional women in Malaysia fall prey to crime and violence and the numbers are alarmingly high, according to Malaysia Crime Prevention Foundation (MCPF) deputy chairman Datuk Kamarudin Md Ali.

He said women in the country are attacked, regardless of their age group or background, students or working adults, including professionals such as lecturers and doctors.

“It can happen anywhere, in public places, hotels, at home, and the latest is through the Internet,” he said when addressing participants during a crime prevention programme, themed “Family Safety Our Responsibility”, at Wisma Wanita near here.

Kamarudin said it was important for women to be alert all the time.

“Do not allow any space for people to take advantage of you. You can avoid becoming a victim if you take safety measures. Avoid isolated areas, especially if you are alone,” he said.

He said criminals are always opportunists and they seize the moment and make their move the moment they spot a potential vulnerable victim.

Kamarudin said women today are becoming more vulnerable to falling for sweet talk by opportunists in the cyber world.

“Women get drawn into trusting their newly found friends whom they meet through social networks, such as Facebook, My Space and others.

“Do not trust what you read, especially people you have only met in the cyber world. They are trained to sweet talk the women.

“We fear that it is a trap and women may fall into it. Early prevention is important to overcome this latest scam, and we hope for parents’ cooperation by monitoring their children’s activities, especially those aged 16 and below,” he said.

Kamarudin stressed that it was important for women to know their rights to avoid from falling victim.

“A woman must know her rights before, after or while they are still married. They must also know what to do if the marriage is annulled.

“The existing provisions of law is equal to both men and women, there is no discrimination. That is why, it is important for women to know their rights, so when something happens, they would be able to complain to the right legal channels to fight for justice,” he said.

He added that anyone who bends the law, whether men or women, will be charged and punished accordingly.

Some 100 people attended the event, where talks were given to educate women on crime prevention.