KLANG: Making disparaging remarks about and mocking mental health issues is the worst form of discrimination, says an expert.
Malaysian Mental Health Association (MMHA) president Datuk Dr Andrew Mohanraj was referring to a TikTok video where a man makes derogatory references towards people with mental health issues.
He said the video portrays an employee of a “busy psychiatric clinic” receiving a call from a man.
“The caller makes disparaging remarks about an individual at Dataran Merdeka who may get raped because of ‘her condition’ and so he wants her hospitalised,” said Dr Mohanraj.
He added that MMHA was concerned about such frivolous and mischievous videos about mental health conditions that make a mockery of those struggling with such challenges.
“Such thoughtless videos only contribute to the stigma associated with mental health conditions and go against our efforts to create a well-informed and compassionate society,” he said when contacted on Friday (Aug 22).
The video received 1,186 likes and numerous comments, mostly from women, some supporting the man’s tirade, allegedly against a woman entrepreneur.
Tenaganita executive director Glorene Das said making casual references to rape was completely unacceptable.
“To use rape as a joke is not only offensive, it is dangerous as it normalises one of the most brutal forms of violence and trivialises the trauma of survivors,” she said.
She added that Tenaganita had worked alongside survivors for over 30 years and knows the lifelong scars left by rape and violence.
“No platform, no person, no position of influence should ever be used to degrade, demean, or dismiss such suffering.
“We demand accountability. We demand an end to jokes, comments, and actions that normalise violence and stigmatise mental health,” she said.
Respect and dignity are non-negotiable and the onus is on society to make it clear that such behaviour will not be tolerated, she added.
