If you produce, save, distribute, search or access child sexual abuse content, also sometimes known as child pornography, the police will trace you and hunt you down.
That is the warning given by Director of Sexual, Women and Child Investigations Division (D11) Bukit Aman, ACP Puan Siti Kamsiah Hassan.
"Many of the suspects we arrested said they did not know it is an offence. They said they were just looking at child pornography in their private space. To them, they did not engage in physical contact with the child, so they do not see it as a crime," says Puan Siti Kamsiah, who heads D11, the special police unit that handles cases involving women, children and sexual crimes.
More worryingly, she adds, many in Malaysia have this wrong perception.
"Many members of the public do not feel that a crime is committed if there is no physical contact (with a child). This is why we need to inform and educate the public that accessing child pornography is a serious crime.
"Viewers directly support and create demand for child sexual abuse content whenever they search for the material. If there is demand, there likewise will be criminals producing it in the dark web to fulfill that market, Puan Siti Kamsiah explains.
Those who access and share child sexual abuse content might not meet the victims, but the victims are there and they are real.
"It is an offence - producing it, sharing, exchanging, buying, selling, possessing or accessing the material. If you access it, the police can detect and trace you. Don't be surprised if we suddenly appear at your house," says Puan Siti Kamsiah.
Read further on The Star’s article attached.
Source: The Star