MALAYSIA is witnessing a sharp increase in sexual harassment complaints involving male victims, with more than 1,000 reports lodged through the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry’s complaint channels since 2024.
Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri said the growing number of reports mirrored trends recorded by the Royal Malaysia Police and reflected the success of nationwide advocacy campaigns encouraging victims to come forward.
She said complaints involving male victims included incidents of unwanted physical contact and inappropriate touching without consent.
“As an example, there was an incident at a shopping complex where a male victim was suddenly approached and touched from behind by a male salesperson while the victim was about to enter a fitting room,” she told reporters after launching the “Zero Tolerance for Violence: Say No to Sexual Harassment” programme.
Nancy said the ministry viewed the increasing number of reports as evidence that victims were becoming more aware of their rights and more willing to seek help rather than remain silent.
She also addressed a separate sexual harassment case involving a district police chief in Sarawak, saying the matter remained under police investigation.
“The ministry praises the courage of the officer who came forward to report the case and we will continue to monitor developments closely,” she said.
The minister meanwhile urged families to take seriously any complaints or emotional disclosures made by children, particularly in cases where alleged abuse involves individuals close to the family.
“We must always listen to them because children are sometimes extremely afraid to speak to parents and siblings for fear of being accused of making up stories.
“Through the advocacy programmes we are conducting, children are now beginning to understand their rights. Some are even seeking alternative ways to lodge complaints, including contacting Talian Kasih 15999 or using modern technology such as artificial intelligence and ChatGPT to look for help channels,” she said.
Earlier in her speech, Nancy revealed that as of April 26, a total of 92 complaints had been filed with the Anti-Sexual Harassment Tribunal (TAGS), with 69 cases successfully resolved.
She said the figures demonstrated the tribunal’s effectiveness in accelerating access to justice for victims.
At the same time, police statistics showed sexual harassment cases nationwide had risen sharply from 477 cases in 2022 to 1,038 cases in 2025.
Nancy described the trend as deeply concerning and said it underscored the need for stronger enforcement, wider public awareness and a collective societal effort to combat sexual harassment in all forms. - May 19, 2026
