Protect children from sexual predators

The Star Malaysia

14 Nov 2016

TAN SRI LEE LAM THYE Kuala Lumpur

PARENTS and adults have a responsibility to look after children. We have to ensure that
they are educated, cared for and protected even if they are not our own flesh and blood.

Lately, we find that children in this country are exposed to various dangers such as
kidnapping, abuse at childcare centres, physical and emotional abuse by parents or
stepparents, and accidents outside the home or in school.

The most disturbing of all is sexual violence against children. Apart from sexual acts
between an adult and children by force, intimidation or manipulation, sexual abuse also
occurs when they are forced to take part in or observe any sexual activity for
pornography, film or shows that contain sexual exploitation.

Sexual violence against children has shortterm and long-term effects. If these are not
addressed, victims could suffer from clinical depression, post-traumatic stress disorder
and paranoia, among others. They may have difficulty trusting others and the tendency to
become abusers in their adulthood.

According to media reports, in the first three months of this year, there were 571 cases of
child sexual abuse involving incest and from friendships developed via social media.

Since 2010, the police have received more than 400 reports of Internet-related rape cases
involving 339 children. Unfortunately, the reported cases would only be the tip of the
iceberg.

The case of British citizen Richard Huckle, who was sentenced to life imprisonment for
sexually abusing children in this country, should be a wake-up call for everyone,
particularly parents, on the serious threat by paedophiles.

There are paedophiles in our midst and it is not easy to identify them.

Technology such as the Internet and mobile gadgets make it easier for paedophiles,
regardless of geography, to have access to children wherever they are, including at home.
Paedophiles are very manipulative when they carry out sexual grooming to gain the
trust of children.

Paedophiles may look like anyone in our society and can even be relatives of the
children. They could have normal jobs, be unemployed or self-employed, or
professionals.

We now have a new and comprehensive law to protect children, the Child (Amendment)
Act 2015. This Act carries heavier penalties, namely a maximum fine of RM50,000 and a
jail term of up to 20 years for those convicted of child abuse, mistreatment and neglect of
children.

The Act also introduced Community Service Order (CSO), family-based childcare and
Child Registry that contains a list of perpetrators of crimes against children.

Meanwhile, all Malaysians are waiting for the Child Sexual Crime Bill to be tabled in
Parliament and subsequently approved and gazetted as soon as possible.

The Child Sexual Crime Bill proposes a special court for children where judges and
prosecutors are specialised in child sexual crimes, and resolution of child sexual abuse
cases are made within a year.

Cooperation among various parties is needed to implement measures to prevent children

from becoming victims of sexual crimes.

Given the rising threat from the cyber world and the fact that it is extremely difficult to
detect a sexual predator or paedophile, it is time to introduce appropriate sex education to
pupils in pre-school and primary schools to teach them how to distinguish between adult
behaviours that are acceptable and unacceptable, to recognise whether the touch is
permissible or not, and what to do if they are sexually approached or abused.

Efforts must also be taken to support the work of voluntary organisations and NGOs who
hold talks and awareness campaigns on this issue. I would like to express my support to
the proposal for Malaysia to join the WeProtect Global Alliance, an international
movement comprising multiple stakeholders with a mission to end the exploitation of
children online.

I believe our country will benefit greatly if we are part of this alliance as it involves a
cross-section of global stakeholders, including 70 governments, information technology
experts and child rights advocates. This alliance enables the international network of law
enforcement agencies to share information on sex offenders and send alerts to member
countries of child sex offenders.