Baby dumping in Malaysia.
Baby dumping in Malaysia: causes
References
Xinhua ( By Jia Ning Tan).
More than half of 104 dumped babies found dead in 2015.
They were left in rubbish bins, on doorsteps and on the streets, prompting the government to consider treating these cases as murder or attempted murder.
Dr. Meriam Omar Din, a psychology counselor at the International Islam University in Kuala Lumpur believes that cultural stigma that emphasizes abstinence is the main reason why pregnant girls are so eager to hide their pregnancy.
"What they are doing is against the value of the family. It is like it is a mistake. They become desperate, perhaps they cannot see the right person who can help them find the solution," Meriam said in an interview with Xinhua.
"By the time they star thinking, the baby is out. That is the reason why they would rather take the risk then to be rejected by the family.
"In our religion, of course having sex (before marriage) is wrong, but throwing away a baby is worse. So I think throwing a baby is no longer caused by religious factor but cultural factor," Meriam added.
She said the society's tendency to blame teenage pregnancy on women rather than men -- could also be a contributing factor to the rising cases of abandoned babies.
"The woman has to make the decision alone, and they do not have anyone to turn to and the man by then is not there anymore. To them, it is their fault because they are pregnant. The man does not want to get married with them.
"If the embarrassment is one factor, if the man still stays and is willing to get married, I do not think they will throw the baby, " said Meriam.
Women's shelters like the Kewaja Rehabilitation Center are havens for many desperate young girls who are pregnant, helping them recover psychologically and physically while equipping them with skills that could get them a job after delivering a child.
These shelters protect them momentarily from relatives and friends.
Meanwhile, religious bodies in Malaysia have also geared up to conduct frequent checks on dormitories and hotel rooms against illicit sexual activities.
And the Malaysian government is now contemplating on teaching sex education in school -- a much debated move for parents who fear it would promote sexual behaviors at a young age.
Malaysians are struggling to curb teenage pregnancies and stop more babies from being abandoned.
It is hard to find the perfect solution that everyone agrees on, but experts are now suggesting that it is about time that they stop telling young people what not to do, and instead educating them on how to make the right choices.
Dr. Meriam Omar Din, a psychology counselor at the International Islam University in Kuala Lumpur believes that cultural stigma that emphasizes abstinence is the main reason why pregnant girls are so eager to hide their pregnancy.
"What they are doing is against the value of the family. It is like it is a mistake. They become desperate, perhaps they cannot see the right person who can help them find the solution," Meriam said in an interview with Xinhua.
"By the time they star thinking, the baby is out. That is the reason why they would rather take the risk then to be rejected by the family.
"In our religion, of course having sex (before marriage) is wrong, but throwing away a baby is worse. So I think throwing a baby is no longer caused by religious factor but cultural factor," Meriam added.
She said the society's tendency to blame teenage pregnancy on women rather than men -- could also be a contributing factor to the rising cases of abandoned babies.
"The woman has to make the decision alone, and they do not have anyone to turn to and the man by then is not there anymore. To them, it is their fault because they are pregnant. The man does not want to get married with them.
"If the embarrassment is one factor, if the man still stays and is willing to get married, I do not think they will throw the baby, " said Meriam.
Women's shelters like the Kewaja Rehabilitation Center are havens for many desperate young girls who are pregnant, helping them recover psychologically and physically while equipping them with skills that could get them a job after delivering a child.
These shelters protect them momentarily from relatives and friends.
Meanwhile, religious bodies in Malaysia have also geared up to conduct frequent checks on dormitories and hotel rooms against illicit sexual activities.
And the Malaysian government is now contemplating on teaching sex education in school -- a much debated move for parents who fear it would promote sexual behaviors at a young age.
Malaysians are struggling to curb teenage pregnancies and stop more babies from being abandoned.
It is hard to find the perfect solution that everyone agrees on, but experts are now suggesting that it is about time that they stop telling young people what not to do, and instead educating them on how to make the right choices.
References
Xinhua ( By Jia Ning Tan).
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