Community-based approach may be answer to child sex abuse, says NGO

 

Most child sexual abuse cases occur where the victims live, and the perpetrators are usually known or related to them, says James Nayagam of Suriana Welfare Society, (Freepik pic)

PETALING JAYA: An activist has mooted a community-based approach to combating child sexual abuse in the wake of a report on younger pregnancies in the country.

James Nayagam, the chairman of Suriana Welfare Society, said community programmes similar to an initiative being carried out by his NGO were the way forward due to the nature of child sexual abuse cases.

He said existing laws and initiatives to prevent child sexual abuse were inadequate because most cases occur where the victims live, and the perpetrators are usually known or related to them.

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“It is often an ‘invisible’ crime because it happens at home,” he told FMT.

He was commenting on an NGO’s disclosure that a nine-year-old girl was the youngest mother on record in the country amid a trend of younger pregnancies.

According to Sinar Harian, Yayasan Ikhlas chairman Zainur Rashid Zainuddin said the girl became pregnant after she was raped by her brother, who had been influenced by pornographic videos he had watched online.

Police statistics show that a total of 1,348 sexual abuse cases involving children were recorded in the first six months of 2022.

Nayagam said a community-based approach similar to a project he initiated at the flats in Desa Mentari may help.

The initiative sees the NGO working with the residents’ association by carrying out house visits on a weekly basis, during which they would chat with the families and take stock of their needs.

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They will also look for red flags, including signs of domestic or sexual violence and other social issues, and if necessary, lodge a report with the authorities.

“We have found this approach to be effective. The residents’ association told me that prior to the programme, people could be heard quarrelling on a daily basis, now it doesn’t happen so often,” he said.

Parent Action Group for Education (PAGE) chairman Noor Azimah Abdul Rahim said she believed the way forward is increased parental guidance, but acknowledged that this is challenging because in many families, both husband and wife work full-time jobs.

“Raising the minimum wage or providing allowances to mothers with young children so they can be stay-at-home mothers, or flexible working arrangements can help,” she told FMT.

Noor Azimah also said more parks, sporting facilities and youth programmes will help children and teenagers engage in beneficial activities. - FMT