STOP PORTRAYING WOMEN IN NEGATIVE MANNER

THE All Women's Action Society (Awam) wishes to express deep concern over
the recent publishing of pictures of women in The Star, in particular, the
front-page picture of a housewife who attempted suicide after the use of
Ecstasy pills (Aug 5) and that of a handcuffed woman who claimed trial to
bigamy (Aug 8).

What message is The Star intending to send out to society by this?

We recognise that consuming Ecstasy pills to fulfil one's fantasy is
dangerous and has great repercussions to one's health and state of mind.

It is without doubt that the public needs to know about these dangers. But
are women the only consumers of these pills?

What message do readers get when they see a woman's picture associated with
the headline "Ecstasy Victim''?

The accompanying news report states that it was the woman's husband who
introduced the pill to her but for reasons unknown, there was no picture of
the husband.

This only tends to distort the issue and gives the impression that women
are either the only ones who participate in this activity or are somehow
responsible for such "bad'' activities.

An alleged act of bigamy by a woman warrants front-page news with her
pictured at full view and handcuffed?

Why? Would this bring about justice?

However, the same crime allegedly committed by a bomoh--a man--is featured
on page three of the same paper, with much less exposure.

We wonder why The Star has chosen to feature these two cases so prominently.

Could it be due to the fact that those involved are women?

There are many men who have been found guilty of the most heinous
crimes--rape, murder, child abuse or combinations of these--but not many
have been featured so prominently.

Could it be that The Star, like many members of our society, feels that the
transgressions of women are more deserving of public condemnation than that
of men?

Awam is gravely concerned by the insensitivity and biases of the newspaper
and the lack of awareness and understanding in highlighting news.

These two examples are just part of the problem of the negative portrayal
of women in the media, an issue which Awam has raised time and again.

We have had a few small successes, such as the withdrawal of advertisements
that portray women as objects after protests by Awam and other women's groups.

Obviously, though, we still have a long way to go.

This negative portrayal of women in the media has to stop.

Today, with the increasing awareness about the position of women in
society, the media should be acting more responsibly, be more gender
sensitive and respond to women's demands for less negative portrayal of
women in the media, be it in advertisements or in any form of reporting.