A Safer World for Children: Firzana Redzuan / Founder of Monsters Among Us

Direct Talk

Studies in Malaysia have shown that

1 in every 10 children in the country
have been sexually abused

and 8 out of 10 predators
are known to their victims.

These predators could be
a child's family member,

neighbour or even a teacher.

Our guest today is responding
to this issue of child sexual abuse.

Firzana Redzuan founded
Monsters Among Us or MAU.

It's the only youth-led organization
in Malaysia that combats child sexual abuse

by advocating for children's rights.

She believes that awareness and education
is at the root of solving the problem.

We want to make sure that
children get enough information

so that they make informed decisions about,
you know, the things that they do.

So how do we provide them
with the right tools and what not,

so that they know how to protect themselves,

and they don't become
victims of sexual abuse.

Firzana began Monsters Among Us

as a way of educating Malaysians
about child sexual abuse.

She wants to create a safer world
for children, where they are protected

and able to enjoy their childhood
without fear or trauma.

So our main niche area is
to create more awareness,

to increase people's knowledge and capacity,

or understanding of
what child sexual abuse is

and what can we do,

you know, as people surrounding children
to protect them better.

Educating people about
children's rights in general

because doing the work
that we've been doing, we realize

that the most basic thing or concept or
principle that you need to hold as an adult,

is knowing that
children themselves have rights.

Their activities are unique,

aimed at reaching both adults and children.

The kind of activities we do,
since we're youth led,

so all of us are basically youth,
so we do a lot of youthful stuff.

We had a theatre before,

we conducted several workshops,

focusing on developing young people
to become child rights defenders.

But I think most of our initiatives

is trying to build this safe space
for children so that they can come to us.

But at the same time,

also investing our time in building
more awareness for the community at large.

Our recent initiative that we did last year
was having workshops with future teachers.

So they're university students who are
planning to be teachers, educators,

basically people who will be working closely
with children and building their capacities

Firzana named the organization
Monsters Among Us

to bring light to the harsh reality

that most perpetrators are known
and trusted by their victims.

Child sexual abuse normally happens

to children who already know
who the perpetrators are

because we're not honest enough
about the dangers surrounding children.

When a child goes to school,

we don't say "Be careful of your teacher."

"He might touch you at areas
they're not supposed to touch."

We're not honest enough
with things that might happen

because maybe we're in denial.

Children are normally perpetrated
by people close to them

because there's already that

foundation of trust built between
the child and the perpetrator.

So for instance, in a case of a family member

sexually violating another
minor family member, right.

There isn't that defense mechanism
when you're at home.

You don't build a wall, or
you don't take extra precautions

to protect yourself from these individuals
at home because you're in your safe space.

Firzana started Monsters Among Us in 2017

as a law student in university.

However, upon graduation,

she did not pursue a law career.

Instead, she chose to
fully pursue her passion

for child safety and justice
by running MAU full-time.

I've always felt like sexual violence,
sexual abuse, it really hit me -

it really made me uncomfortable.

Even as a child, I could remember
how it affected my body

whenever I listen to stories about
how other children are being abused,

listening to wives and mothers
being abused at home.

Like I can still remember the emotional

and physical effect on me
when listening to it.

Her firsthand encounter
during her childhood, made her realize

how vulnerable children
potentially are towards sexual abuse.

It is one of the main motivations
behind her pursuit for child safety.

I experienced a flasher situation.

I think about 14 or 13 years old,

I was waiting for my van driver to come,

and then suddenly,

like a group of juniors of mine
came up to me and said,

"You know someone in the car
is showing their penis."

I stood up, I went to the car

and definitely he was flashing his penis,
relieving himself.

I immediately told the girls to like,
remember the number plate

and I made a report.

Firzana's mother supported her,

by helping her stand up
for herself and seek justice.

My mum was there to bring me to the police.

She was there to help me
speak to the investigative officers,

supported me,

and you know, stood by me when I was
identifying the perpetrator and what not,

and he got caught.

Well as much as a child is aware

and is packed with knowledge,

especially kids know
they have so much resources.

But if a parent or if an adult
around them isn't there to support,

or to further their situation,

a child would just remain...

silenced.

However, not all children feel empowered
or supported enough to speak out.

That is what drove Firzana
to fight for child safety.

We decided to work on child sexual abuse
as our area of focus

because it is happening around us,

and it's happening very rampantly,

and there's just not enough people
working on the area.

But I think the main point to focus here

is that, number one,
children themselves may not know

that these things are criminal.

Secondly, probably there isn't
that much safe space out there

for them to openly and bravely come out.

Because there's a lot of shame
tainted with sexual abuse.

We talk about rape.

It's your personal space,

your safe space being violated,

you know, by this stranger,
or even a person that you trust.

So there's so much of like,
emotional struggle, and the shame,

and the religious predicament
that you might face as a victim.

Monsters Among Us will stop
at nothing to protect children in need.

Despite lockdowns brought on
by the Covid-19 pandemic,

Firzana and MAU were not deterred.

In 2020, they moved their activities online.

We initiated this boot camp
called "Be A Child Advocate"

and we decided to gather
13 children, high schoolers,

to basically start building their interest

and capacity as a child rights defender.

Because if not them,

then it would be quite futile
to just do child rights advocacy

without involving children themselves.

We know how hard it is
as well for all of this information

to reach all of these
different groups of children.

We wanted to do this boot camp,
that was done virtually,

because we needed more children
themselves to have the knowledge,

supported by their passion,
to become role models

for the people around them,
for their friends as well.

However, Firzana's work doesn't come easy.

Talking about sex in Malaysia
is highly controversial.

Studies have shown that the social stigma
surrounding sex and sexual abuse

is the reason why many victims have chosen

to stay silent or are faced
with disbelief from others.

Unfortunately, sex is still
a taboo subject in Malaysia

because of probably the culture
that we have as a society.

Because like it or not,
we are a very religious community.

And we all know what religions say about sex.

So that's why many conversations
are not brought up to the surface,

because they don't want to be seen
as people of the sins,

or they don't want to be seen as people
who has strayed away from religion.

With cultural taboos in mind,

Firzana found a unique approach
to spread awareness.

In 2021, Monsters Among Us
published a children's coloring book titled,

"My Body, My Rules:
A Guide to Basic Sexuality Education."

The book is the
first of its kind in the country.

The main purpose for this book is

to really just bring these conversations
closer to our children,

and to any adult out there,
to learn about themselves better.

Or to remind themselves
about how their childhoods were,

and how they are now.

The topics that are covered under the book
would be on the basics,

you know, body anatomy.

But we also talk about
some controversial topics like

gender expression, sexuality.

We talk about
healthy relationships and consent.

We talk about puberty and pleasure.

While prevention and awareness are important,

Firzana is also determined
to help victims of child sexual abuse.

These cases by children
in Malaysia are shockingly high.

But Firzana and other
child rights activists believe that

actual numbers are much higher,
with many going unreported.

So, MAU launched "Lapor Predator"
to deal with the issue.

It's an online chat bot

that allows victims to report
their abuses in a non-intimidating,

child-friendly way.

So in Malaysia "Lapor" means report,

so technically we're advocating for people
to report a predator through our chatbot,

and this chatbot is available
on our website or on WhatsApp.

So what this chatbot does is,
it provides a platform for anyone out there,

especially children, to come up to us

and share or report to us if they've
encountered any cases of sexual abuse.

I think the whole motivation
behind this was because

children, it's going to be hard for them
to go to the police, that's one.

Secondly, they may not have the right support
around them to bring them to the authorities.

So who do they go to?
No one else.

So that's why we developed this chatbot.

Once we do bring the case to authorities,

we leave it to the police
to conduct their own investigation.

But at least we know we've given you
all the things that you need.

If we have pictures, we'll provide pictures.

If we have videos, we'll provide videos.

So we're basically supporting complainants
that come to us on our chatbot.

Despite being a young organization,

Monsters Among Us has made quite the impact.

In 2021 alone,

they closed more than
20 child sexual abuse cases,

and have engaged more than
100 teenagers and young adults

to be child safety advocates.

But while her work has helped so many,

it has also changed her deeply.

Monsters Among Us has changed me 180.

When I first started as a university student,

I was a different Firzana to who I am today,

and I'm constantly changing.

Because surrounding myself
with people who are empathetic,

who understand the struggle,

makes me more empathetic
as well to other people.

So at first I came in really angry,

I'm still very angry now, as a person,

because obviously there's just
so much frustration out there

for you to frustrate over.

But at the same time, it's also
seeing beyond the surface right.

I think I've developed like, at least
more than one lens as an individual.

Through the work that we do,

we get to see other people's lives,

and we get to come out of ourselves

Firzana is hopeful about the future
of Monsters Among Us

and has plans to grow even bigger.

I'm very, very excited
to expand the organisation

to a bigger level, to a higher level

because we've always been voluntary based.

And obviously I want to empower
more young people out there.

Like, to compensate them better
for the time and for the energy

that they invest in my organisation.

I'm looking forward to connect
with more people

who also believe in the cause
and see how we can do work together

because obviously MAU can't do this alone.

We deserve amazing childhoods!

I always am strong with the word "childhood"

because many of us, our childhoods
are stripped away from us

without us realizing.

What happens to us as a child,

it stays with us for the longest time,
you know, like when we grow up.

It molds who we are.
It makes us who we are today.

So that's why I believe, you know,
we deserve the best childhoods

and nothing less.

If you're a child watching,

you deserve the best childhood,

because no one can deny you of that.