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SHAH ALAM – The “not all men” argument risks shifting attention away from sexual violence survivors and the wider culture that enables abuse,
Participants at the Seniwati Solidarity rally said Malaysia needed greater accountability, more open conversations about sexual harassment and stronger education on empathy and respect to challenge misogyny and ensure survivors were not left to face their experiences alone.
The movement's spokesperson Takahara Suiko, 36, said the problem extended beyond perpetrators to include people who enabled abusive behaviour or continued giving platforms to individuals facing multiple allegations.
“I always go back to the pyramid of abuse. It is not just about men, because there are also women who enable these behaviours, including some who have experienced abuse themselves.
“They may remain silent because they are financially dependent on their abusers or because of the system they live in,” she told Sinar Daily.
Takahara who is a musician said she had known many people who experienced sexual harassment or assault, adding that she questioned those who continued working with individuals despite knowing they faced multiple allegations.
“These predators can have multiple victims and the problem is much bigger than people think.
“The ‘not all men’ argument can be very harmful. I would say it is all men until no men are part of the problem,” she said.
She said Malaysia also faced a problem with internalised misogyny, although she believed changes were emerging as more women spoke up and others supported them.
Takahara said education on empathy and responsibility should begin at home and continue in schools, helping children understand other people's experiences and recognise harmful behaviour.
A student who only wanted to be known as Luqman, 24, who attended the rally said the difficulty of identifying who might engage in sexual harassment or assault was a reason the argument failed to address survivors’ concerns.
He said people could make jokes about sexual violence without others knowing whether they genuinely regarded the behaviour as harmless.
Luqman also said misogynistic attitudes could be reinforced by the surrounding environment, including instances where religion was used to justify views or behaviour that demeaned women.
He said people needed to be more willing to listen to perspectives different from their own, while recognising that feminism and efforts to address gender-based violence were not issues that only concerned women.
Meanwhile, 37-year-old marketing manager who wanted to be known as Moon said arguments such as “not all men” could become a form of defensiveness instead of addressing the issue being raised.
She said women who reported sexual harassment or assault were often blamed, discredited or had their experiences dismissed, making accountability essential to challenging misogyny.
“If men feel they are not part of the problem, they should be willing to call out other men who engage in disgusting behaviour rather than dismissing the issue,” she said.
Moon added that children needed to be educated about sexual violence and harmful behaviour rather than shielding them from difficult conversations because the subject was considered taboo.
Comedian A. Kanmani, 48, said she believed misogyny remained deeply rooted in Malaysia, pointing to the challenges women faced in getting their voices heard in Parliament and the need for stronger institutional support for women's causes.
She said movements addressing women's rights needed greater involvement from authorities and non-governmental organisations, rather than relying heavily on women to organise and fund their own initiatives.
Postgraduate student and stand-up comedian Jan Yuen, 39, also said survivors needed an environment where they could speak openly without having their experiences dismissed.
Using the analogy of a plate of 10 cookies with one that was poisoned, she said people would hesitate to take one without knowing which was unsafe.
Jan said the uncertainty reflected why some people remained cautious despite knowing that not every man posed a threat.
She added that open conversations and a willingness to listen were necessary to prevent survivors’ experiences from being brushed aside.
The comments were shared during the Seniwati Solidarity rally at Dataran Merdeka on Sunday, held under the message “You are not alone.”
The gathering called for action against sexual predators and the systems that enable abuse in the arts industry, including music, theatre, poetry and film.