To avoid domestic conflicts, Malaysia’s government advised women to cut back on nagging their husbands during the country’s partial lockdown amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Malaysia’s Ministry for Women, Family and Community Development shared several graphics on Facebook and Instagram with the hashtag #WomenPreventCOVID19.
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One of the graphics showed a man sitting on a couch and asked women to refrain from being “sarcastic” when asking their husbands for help around the house. Besides urging women not to badger their husbands, the posters also advised those working from home to dress up and wear makeup.
The ministry abandoned the campaign on Tuesday after a wave of backlash. It acknowledged that the advice could offend some and vowed to “remain cautious in the future.”
Women’s groups have warned that lockdowns could lead to an increase in domestic violence. Local media reported that a government hotline that helps domestic abuse victims has received more than double the amount of calls it normally gets since the start of Malaysia’s partial lockdown.
