The Clockwork Vagina

These days the world seems to be spinning increasingly out of control. Bombings, massacres, senseless wars. All in the name of God in its various permutations. Ironic isn't it? That possibly the purest, most revered subject of humans is also the root of so much evil.

But maybe we shouldn't be so shocked. In this day and age of rulebook burning, the only thing that seems to hold constant is contradiction. On a good day, it looks like irony. Learn to recognise it. This one seems to be multiplying at light speed.

Today, I read a report about a study done with some 133 sexual offenders serving time in Malaysian penitentiaries. Several findings disturbed me, but the one thing that stood out was this - of the 133 surveyed, only ONE accepted that he had committed a criminal act. The rest still believed they had consensual sex.

Never mind that half were "uneducated". Ignore the fact that by implication, the data meant the other half were educated, informed convicts.

The point is this: how has it been possible for us to bring up these men who don't possess the ability to recognise the meaning of NO? 72% of those surveyed were Malay. As a Malay, I have to wonder. If we are really that kindler, gentler race that is full of akhlak and budi pekerti, how come we forgot to tell our young men that sex requires permission and consent? And for those of you holier-than-thous, please take note, quite a few of these men were specifically alcohol abusers or dependents. Bye-bye theory of sinful, indulgent bourgoise city Melayu Barus. Looks like even in the mainstreams there runs a strain of vodka nowadays.

Rape is a thorny issue. It's difficult to prove at best and even more difficult to prevent. Especially when a majority of assailants are not strangers to the victims. In the same news report I read, there was a very enlightening quote from some Malaysian Crime Prevention chappie. He was very clever this one. His solution to rape prevention - focus on the victim. Study why these women were made targets.

Somebody give him a Datukship. Or a Some-Dead-Tun Peace Prize.

Then, finally, the nightcap. It is now becoming a real possibility that future crimes like rape and murder will require victims to specify times and dates of these heinous occurrences. OK-lah. If someone is murdered, I guess it can only happen once. But what if someone is raped? Repeatedly, for years? And by that someone's own relative? What the heck does the victim do - keep a damned journal?

Maybe keep a blog. Or better still, stick a clock in her vagina, or a digital alarm in his ass.

Either way, it better run on batteries that don't require re-charging. Then again, I suppose a charger wire sticking out of one's privates could drive the message home.

Teach your children what NO means. It is a very powerful word. It can stop wars. It can stop crime. It can save lives.