KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia has said it will revise a national school textbook after a section suggesting girls should cover up to avoid se**xual assault sparked outrage among womens rights supporters.
The book, aimed at nine-year-olds, includes a chapter called protecting ones dignity in which a girls parents are shown telling her to dress modestly or she would be ostracised by her friends and bring shame to her family.
The image went viral on social media, causing anger among campaigners and parents who said it perpetuated the idea that se**xual violence could be blamed on how a woman dresses.
The education ministry said in a statement late Tuesday it would cover up the controversial page with stickers because the infographic can be construed as blaming se**xual assault victims.
We welcome the ministrys decision, Mastura Rashid, a spokeswoman from women rights group Empower, told the Thomson Reuters Foundation on Wednesday. She said the image reinforces the stereotype that it is the girls fault when it comes to se**xual violence.
Rights group Sisters in Islam said the portrayal of women in the book was highly inappr**opriate.Thomson Reuters Foundation