#MakeSchoolASaferPlace: Malaysian teen who exposed teacher’s rape jokes in viral TikTok video fights back against abuse
- Ain Husniza Saiful Nizam’s video slamming a male teacher over an alleged joke about rape during class has sparked a debate on misogyny in Malaysia
- While police have vowed to investigate Ain’s complaint, some students and teachers have accused her of drawing negative attention to her school
Malaysian teenager Ain Husniza Saiful Nizam came home from school last week and posted a video on TikTok, taking a male teacher to task over an alleged joke about rape during class.
The video went viral overnight, sparking a nationwide debate on sex education, misogyny and sexual violence in the Southeast Asian country, where such subjects are often considered taboo.
“There’s been numerous students who have been coming forward with their own stories to me … but people didn’t take any action on what the students had to say. And for me, that is very, very sad,” Ain said.
The 17-year-old, who loves drawing and watching Japanese anime, said she had always been outspoken about social issues but had not expected the “overwhelming” response to the video, which has been viewed more than 1.4 million times on TikTok.
“Our movement focuses on making school a safer environment for every student, no matter what gender you are, either girls or boys,” Ain said.