Kuala Lumpur, 4th October 2020 - Take action against sexual extortion a huge barrier faced by victims of online sexual extortion is the feeling of embarrassment and shame which stops them from seeking help.
However, Director of Sexual, Women and Child Investigations Division (D11) Bukit Aman, ACP Puan Siti Kamsiah Hassan says that not coming forward may cause more harm in the long term.
“There will be feelings of embarrassment when it comes to cases involving nude or sexual images and footage. But if a victim is afraid to take action, he or she will continue to be controlled by the suspect and will not be able to resolve the problem,” says the head of D11, the police unit handling sexual crimes and matters relating to women and children.
The first and most important step to take is to find a trusted person to support you through the ordeal.
“The victim should come forward or share their predicament with someone they trust. Getting support is important because there have been cases where victims have kept everything to themselves. And when they are no longer able to handle the situation, it could lead to suicidal thoughts,” she cautions.
This is especially important if the victim is a child.
“Many children are not able to handle situations of extortion and fear going to their family members for help. They face severe stress and are not able to solve this problem themselves.
“Parents must keep themselves aware of their children's online activities and know their children's friends. And they should trust and support their children when their children come to them for help,” she says.
Read more on The Star’s article attached.
Source: The Star
