M'sian Woman Shares Harrowing Experience Of Sexual Harassment & Alleged Police Misconduct
Nurul Ashiqeen Johari claimed that a police sergeant made romantic advances while discussing the case.
By Yap Wan Xiang — 16 Aug 2024, 06:49 PM
Local musician Iqeen Bassist has shared a distressing experience of being sexually harassed, as well as highlighted alleged unprofessionalism from the police, including a sergeant making romantic advances during the investigation
The ordeal began after the 26-year-old bassist, whose real name is Nurul Ashiqeen Johari, was allegedly groped by a man while walking on Petaling Street in Kuala Lumpur at about 10.30pm on Monday, 12 August.
According to Ashiqeen, she was too stunned to respond to the act, fearing that the man might react aggressively if she did.
"If he's that bold in front of everyone, who knows what else he's capable of? It's sad that women aren't safe, even in crowded places!" she lamented in an Instagram post on Wednesday, 14 August.
Following the incident, Ashiqeen lodged a police report, hoping the authorities would take action against the man for harassing her.
To her dismay, Ashiqeen said her experience at the police station only added to her distress. Instead of receiving support, she claimed she was met with a barrage of questions that seemed to blame her.
"[The police officers] kept asking why I didn't do this or that, as if I could have stayed with the guy and called the police instantly," Ashiqeen said.
She explained that she feared for her safety because she did not know if the man was carrying a weapon, adding that the lack of empathy from the officers left her feeling even more vulnerable.
Ashiqeen shared a photo of the man who allegedly harassed her on Instagram.
Image via @iqeenqueen (Instagram)Ashiqeen claimed that when she went to another police station to meet a sergeant assigned to her case, she faced another round of reprimand
This time, she was scolded for posting about her experience online and was accused of trying to gain attention on social media.
"I couldn't believe it! I'm the victim, but they were making me feel like I did something wrong, as if the harasser was the real victim here.
"When I asked how women are supposed to protect themselves, he just kept saying we need 'solid proof'. How on earth are we supposed to predict when we'll be harassed so we can have our phones ready?" she asked.
After some back-and-forth, the sergeant allegedly stated that there were more important cases to attend to than hers, and made her wait for an hour.
Ashiqeen made some progress when the sergeant finally took her statement. By this point, the bassist was emotionally drained by the ordeal.
The situation took an inappropriate turn when the sergeant, upon learning that she was a musician, allegedly began flirting with her.
He allegedly even suggested going out for a drink despite knowing she had a boyfriend.
"He said he was glad that I made the report because it meant he got to meet me.
"He even said he'd come to my shows... et cetera... all the cringe stuff," she recounted, describing the sergeant's behaviour as unprofessional.
Speaking to SAYS, the musician mentioned that the sergeant has since apologised for making inappropriate advances, explaining in an earlier message that he was "just joking and being friendly".
However, Ashiqeen emphasised that the intent of sharing her story was not to make the police force look bad but to highlight the difficult experience she endured while seeking justice for herself.
She said the sergeant is still attached to her case and that there have been no updates since she provided her statement.
Given that she was initially hesitant to file a police report, Ashiqeen expressed hope that sharing her story will encourage better conduct from law enforcement and inspire other women to stand up for themselves
Reflecting on her experience, Ashiqeen emphasised the need for greater empathy and support from the police.
"Their response left me crying all night, highlighting the profound impact their behaviour can have on victims," she said.
SAYS has reached out to Bukit Aman for comment and was informed that they have contacted the relevant district police stations about the matter. The police stations will conduct an internal investigation before providing a statement.
If you or someone you know may be at risk or has experienced sexual abuse or assault, please reach out to these Malaysian organisations:
1. WOMEN'S AID ORGANISATION (WAO)
Operating hours: 24-hour
Contact: +603-30008858
SMS/WhatsApp: +6018-9888058
Website | Facebook | Twitter
2. ALL WOMEN'S ACTION SOCIETY (AWAM)
Operating hours: Monday to Friday (9.30am - 5.30pm)
Contact: +603-78770224
WhatsApp/Telegram: +6016-2284221 | +6016-2374221
Email: [email protected]
Website | Facebook | Twitter
3. WOMEN'S CENTRE FOR CHANGE PENANG (WCC PENANG)
Operating hours: Monday to Friday (9am - 5pm)
Contact: +604-2280342 | +604-3988340
WhatsApp: +6011-31084001 | +6016-4180342
Email: [email protected]
Website | Facebook | Twitter
4. SARAWAK WOMEN FOR WOMEN SOCIETY (SWWS)
Operating hours: Monday (7pm - 9pm),Tuesday to Thursday (9.30am - 11.30am), Saturday (2pm - 4pm)
Contact: +6082-368853
SMS/WhatsApp: +6016-5822660 | +6013-8044285
Email: [email protected]
Website | Facebook | Twitter
5. SABAH WOMEN'S ACTION-RESOURCE GROUP (SAWO)
Operating hours: Monday to Friday (9am - 5pm)
Contact: +6088-280200 | +6011-27908020
Email: [email protected]
Website | Facebook | Twitter
6. PROTECT AND SAVE THE CHILDREN (PS THE CHILDREN)
Operating hours: Monday to Friday (3pm - 12am)
WhatsApp: +6016-7213065
Email: [email protected]
Website | Facebook | Twitter
7. INTERNET WATCH FOUNDATION (IWF)
Anonymously and confidentially report child sexual abuse content and non-photographic child sexual abuse images with IWF's Reporting Portal.
