Since 1985, Women’s Centre for Change (WCC) has directly supported and educated over 170,000 women and children against violence through our services, outreach, and advocacy, and reached millions nationwide to raise awareness on violence against women and children.
It is a growing concern that children these days have a higher risk of coming into contact with sexual predators. Most of which lurks around the internet that children spend more time on and without restrictions. Many also linger around the children’s surroundings. These uncharted waters that the children are involved in often go unnoticed until it is too late.
According to statistics shared by the Women, Early Childhood, and Community Wellbeing Development Minister, Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah, a staggering 92.6 percent of 865 rape cases from 2015 to 2021 were committed by a person close to the victim. Of the percentage, 14.3 per cent or 119 of the cases involved incest.
Sharing the age group of the victims, Fatimah quoted that a majority of 555 cases, or 64.2 per cent were children between the ages of 13 and 16; 95 cases involved children from 17 to 18. Meanwhile, 94 cases involved children 12 and below.
Understanding this, the non-profit organisation Women’s Centre for Change (WCC), based in Penang, constantly advocates to end violence against women and children and promote gender equality and social justice. The organisation provides free counselling, legal advice, and court support for victims of domestic and sexual violence.
Apart from that, WCC also conducts outreach programmes in schools and communities to prevent gender-based violence and advocate for legal and policy reforms affecting women and children. The organisation also produces resource materials in multiple languages on violence against women and children.
The effects of child sexual abuse
Sharing on the subject, WCC’s Service Advocacy Coordinator, Hastiny Subramaniam, said when child sexual abuse cases become more prevalent, both young boys and girls are at risk. “Child sexual abuse can happen in any form, including physical, non-physical, or online. Some of the examples of physical sexual abuse are molestation, either by touching the child’s breast, genitals, anus and others, or having vaginal or anal intercourse, or attempted intercourse.”
Hastiny also shared examples of non-physical sexual abuse cases that involve showing pornography to a child, sexually communicating with a child, or encouraging a child to sexually communicate — either by direct communication or online.
Explaining the effects of child sexual abuse, Hastiny described the consequences as profound and devastating. “The victims can suffer a range of effects that may last a short time or long term. Often, children are confused and might not be able to differentiate between being abused, groomed, and loved.”
“Most children who are traumatised have an increased risk of anxiety, depression, eating disorders, and post-traumatic stress symptoms. Some have suicidal thoughts,” she added.
Curbing the prevalence
As the prevalence of child sexual abuse is dire, Hastiny urged adults to take steps to prevent the abuse from happening. “Adults should protect the children. Child sexual abuse can happen to any child, regardless of gender, disability, race, socioeconomic group, religion or culture.” To her, adults play an important role in addressing child sexual abuse.
According to the Polis Diraja Malaysia (PDRM) statistics, almost 90 percent of the perpetrators are known either to the victims or their families. As an adult dealing with child sexual abuse victims, Hastiny said it is important to be alert for signs of abuse. “They must first believe the child to stop the abuse. Often, the perpetrators gain the trust of the children or family members so that they are less likely to be accused of any sexual abuse allegations. As a result, many parents are still unaware of signs of sexual abuse and its risks.”
To add on, Hastiny advises parents to be careful of whom they are leaving their child with. “Anyone who has access to the children can abuse them. Children should be taught to recognise abuse and quickly tell a trusted adult, such as parents, or teachers, about the incident. Children need to be taught about good touch and bad touch and what to do if something happens. Remind the children that they have a right to their bodies. And if anyone touches them in a way that makes them feel uncomfortable, they should inform their trusted adults.”
When talking about the predators that lurk online, Hastiny said that children should be taught about the risks of the internet so they can discern which are healthy and which are harmful interactions to protect themselves. “Teach them that if their online friends make them feel uncomfortable, confused, or threatened, they should quickly seek help.”
Raising awareness in the Iban language
As an organisation aiming to raise awareness against child sexual abuse, WCC released four books based on the subject. The books that were produced in 2020 share real-life examples of the issue. Available online, the books — “Lisa and Her Secret”, “Yusri and His Secret”, “Sara Says No”, and “Samir and his online friend” — are published in six different languages, namely English, Malay, Chinese, Tamil, Kadazan and Iban.
“Iban being the latest language, we wanted our book to be accessible and available in the language to create greater awareness on the issue of online child sexual abuse and to prevent child sexual abuse across Malaysia, including East Malaysia,” shared Hastiny.
The latest Iban release — Kaban Online Samir (Samir and his online friend) is about a deaf boy who is groomed into sharing intimate pictures with an acquaintance he met through an online game platform and later is blackmailed using those pictures he sent.
As the book stresses how sexual abuse can happen online, Hastiny said that often, people surrounding the children, especially the parents and carers, are in denial that sexual abuse can happen to boys and children with special needs.
“Sexual abuse can happen to any child, including those with disabilities. Children with disabilities are at higher risk of being sexually abused. For example, cognitive or communication challenges may affect a child’s ability to understand or disclose abuse or to ask for help.”
Furthermore, sexual abuses that are happening over the internet are as harmful as those that happen physically. Often, victims are ashamed of their situation and try to hide it from others, but this only worsens the abuse and prolongs it, said Hastiny.
“Hence, the books published by WCC raise awareness on ways to identify online child sexual abuse and how to stop it. The book is targeted at children, parents, educators, caregivers, and people who work with children. They can read the book with their children and teach them that if their online friends make them feel uncomfortable, confused, or threatened, they should quickly seek help.”
As child sexual abuse cases are a never-ending battle, WCC has made the books pertaining to raising awareness on the issue free and easily accessible. Available in both pdf and flipbook formats and multiple languages, those who want to read can visit WCC at their website (wccpenang.org), Facebook (@WCC Penang) Instagram (@wccpenang), Twitter(@WCCPenang), TikTok (@wccpenang) and LinkedIn (Women’s Centre for Change (WCC).
