NUMBER OF RAPES INVOLVING MINORS IN MALAYSIA ALARMING

PETALING JAYA, Malaysia -  More than half of the rape cases reported in the country in the last three years involved minors, reported The Star today.

According to the report, only about 10 per cent of the cases involving victims aged between 13 and 15 were “forced”, while the rest were consensual.

According to ACP Jenny Ong, who is Bukit Aman’s Sexual, Women and Child Investigation Division assistant principal director, some of the girls involved were “trophies” for Mat Rempits who won illegal motorcycle races.

• “One such case involved a 16-year-old who admitted having [had sex with] several youths, saying she liked the thrill of the Mat Rempit lifestyle.
• “These kids make poor choices. More often than not, they get no proper care or attention from their family so they opt for love from their peers. If the peers are wild, then they will most likely turn out the same way too,” she was quoted.
• According to the report, statutory rapes accounted for 1 424 cases out of 2 767 rapes reported in 2013, while 1 243 cases out of 2 349 reported last year involved minors. As of October this year, a total of 1 794 rapes were reported, with 920 of them constituting statutory rapes.
• Ong said some of the cases involved victims who were forced upon or tricked – often by men they had met on social media or group chats.

She also said that Bukit Aman has initiated a child awareness campaign, wherein the cops educate children on identifying what constitutes a “safe touch” and how to be alert against strangers. Teenagers are also taught about sex and pregnancies.

The daily also reported that Selangor and Johor recorded the highest number of rape cases in the country in the past two years.

Source: Free Malaysia Today