Concern grows over rising sexual assault cases involving children, adolescents in Malaysia

THE growing number of sexual assault cases involving minors in Malaysia is becoming a serious concern, with recent statistics showing a disturbing rise in such incidents.

Children’s Protection Society Kuala Lumpur (CPS KL) Chairperson Tengku Asra Jehan Tengku Azlan highlighted the urgency of addressing this issue through better education and awareness programmes aimed at protecting vulnerable children and teenagers.

"By January 2025 alone, there have already been 1,000 reported cases of sexual crimes against children. Definitely, something is wrong somewhere, and we need to tackle this issue starting with education, through awareness programs," Tengku Asra said in an interview with Astro AWANI.

The CPS KL recently organised an iftar (breaking of fast) event with the community at the Jelatek People’s Housing Project (PPR), aiming to raise awareness about child sexual abuse and the importance of safeguarding young people.

She stressed that the increasing accessibility to explicit content via the internet has left many children and teenagers exposed to harmful information, making them more susceptible to exploitation.

"In the age of information technology, children and adolescents have easy access to content about sex. But this exposure actually makes them vulnerable," she explained.

Tengku Asra emphasised that the rise in sexual assault cases calls for immediate intervention through educational programmes outside of school curriculums.

"Programmes like these, where we bring in officers from Bukit Aman (the Malaysian police headquarters), can provide children with the necessary education on their rights and safety," she said.

"They don’t need to have sex education in school every day, but out-of-school programmes like this one can help."

The key focus of the programme was to inform young people about their personal rights and safety.

"Today, we talk about their right to feel safe, that their safety is a right. Parents, close friends, and family should never cross those boundaries," she added.

Farida Qatan, a representative of the Jelatek People’s Housing Project Women and Children Bureau, also echoed the importance of parents being more open in discussing sensitive topics like sex with their children.

"Sometimes we need to be open with our children and ask sensitive questions, but it should be done one-on-one. They might not feel comfortable or might be too shy to speak up," she said.

Parents at PPR Jelatek have voiced concern over the need for more vigilance, especially in the age of easily accessible online content.

"The internet makes it easy for children to download inappropriate material, so we believe it's crucial to ensure their safety and protect them from such risks," Farida said.

The initiative by CPS KL and the collaboration with local authorities reflect a growing effort to address the alarming rise in sexual assault cases involving minors.

The hope is that with more community involvement and better education, the issue can be mitigated, ensuring the safety and well-being of children in Malaysia. – March 30, 2025