Kuala Lumpur, 19th June 2023 - Police in Malaysia have recorded a significant rise in sexual crimes against children, including rape, grooming and sexual extortion. This has been brought on by the rapid growth of the Internet and the easy accessibility we now enjoy, with practically every child having a smartphone or device at hand.
What is more, the rise in sexual crimes against children is not
gender-specific, with a growing trend of boys being targeted as well.
With such crimes on the rise, the police force set up a new, specially trained unit in February.
Federal Sexual, Women and Child Investigation Division (D11), Principal Assistant Director, ACP Siti Kamsiah Hassan said the Malaysia Internet Crimes Against Children (Micac) would probe into sexual crimes and offences committed against children using the Internet as a medium.
“What are Internet crimes against children? The definition can vary, but in the department''s context, it is when a child is made to be a sexual victim via the Internet, whether it involves a sexual act, grooming, or being coaxed to provide explicit materials,” she told the New Straits Times.
She said things normally started when a stranger communicated with a minor online, and once he or she had gained the victim''s trust, the perpetrator would go on to ask for nude pictures or engage in video calls.
This, said ACP Siti Kamsiah, might shift into the grooming phase before they actually arrange to meet.
“All this is already an offence.” The abuser does not have to meet the child or commit any sexual act with him or her to be arrested.
“Communicating in a sexual manner online and requesting photos in a compromising position alone are sufficient for him or her to be charged," she said.
