Time to take a stand against harassment

Agreat time for revellers to enjoy water fights and splashing, Songkran has also become a hotbed for sex crimes. This year, authorities seem to acknowledge this problem. But they have come up with a poor solution. Instead of telling men not to grope women, they advise women not to put themselves up to becoming victims. In previous years, the government banned “sexy dance moves” and advised women to dress appropriately during the Thai New Year celebrations for fear they would lead to sex crimes. This year, the same vicim-blaming solution is also offered.

Last month, Department of Local Administration director Sutthipong Chulcharoen instructed local authorities to tell women to avoid dressing in sexy outfits as a strategy to help them avoid falling victims to sexual harassment or sex assault during Songkran which starts this Friday. Female revellers including tourists are told to dress “appropriately”.

Disappointingly, there is no strong direct message delivered to potential sexual perpetrators that groping and touching women’s bodies against their will is illegal and punishable.

Such a patriarchal mindset by authorities and law enforcement officers needs to change. Women and girls need protection during Songkran. No one should think it is OK to touch their body without their consent.

More than half of nearly 2,000 girls and women aged 10 to 40 years old, who were interviewed by the Women and Men Progressive Movement Foundation, said they were sexually harassed or assaulted during the Thai New Year period. With that experience, some say they would not go out to enjoy water splashing this month.

With such prevalence of sexual crimes, only a quarter of them reported their cases to the police.

Like many other leaders in patriarchal Thai society, Mr Sutthipong’s advice for women holds a victim-blaming notion when it comes to addressing sexual harassment issues. It is reminiscent to a televised remark by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha in September 2014 in the wake of an investigation into the murder of two British tourists in Koh Tao. Gen Prayut notoriously suggested that “attractive” female tourists cannot expect to be safe as long as they wear bikinis and walk everywhere.

The prime minister later apologised for his remark. But his thought reflects the deeply rooted sentiment on the issue in Thai society.

Songkran is not the only time of the year that many women could experience unwanted sexual advances. Thai society has made sexual harassment a less serious matter taking place so frequently at the workplace, schools or even on the streets. Sexually-harrassed women rarely saw those who had done them wrong punished or be held responsible.

Last year, an executive of a news organisation was accused of sexually harassing his female subordinate. The woman quit the job following the situation. But a probe into the case by the Thai Journalist Association merely concluded that it was a misunderstanding without revealing a full report to the public.

Cases like this can also be expected at the workplace and schools. Last year, a video showed a senior official at the Ministry of Public Health putting a female subordinate into a headlock and groping her breasts. But his boss, a deputy director, said it was not a serious matter. A month-long probe was carried out.

More distressingly, there have been several cases in which male teachers were accused of sexually harassing their young female students. Many of them just either faced disciplinary action, or being transferred to other schools.

As for Songkran this year, the lack of a strong message from authorities targeting men’s behaviour is a result of the absence of serious law enforcement against alleged sexual perpetrators.

Even though there are a number of state regulations curbing sexual harassment at the workplace, law enforcement officers do not make it easy for women and girls to report on cases and file charges against perpetrators. It is a difficult task for a woman who wants protect herself or files charges against the perpetrator. Police officers require victims to provide solid evidence.

As a result, unlike rape cases of about 30,000 a year, few people report on sexual harassment.

Women’s groups have called for clear-cut rules, regulations and punishment to not allow perpetrators to continue their vile acts with no consequences.

Sexual exploitation has been said to be a starting point that can be developed into rape. As long as we let sexual harassment go unpunished, we cannot eliminate the rape culture in Thailand.

Songkran this year should be a time that authorities address this issue more seriously and tell potential perpetrators to not make unwanted sexual advances on women.

Sutthipong Chulcharoen told women to avoid dressing in sexy outfits as a strategy to help them avoid falling victims to sexual harassment.