THE Malacca Social Welfare Department (SWD) recorded 88 child abuse cases from January to August this year and of the total, 37 involved sexual abuse, said state Women’s Affairs, Family Development and Welfare Committee chairman Kalsom Nordin. 

She said physical, sexual and emotional abuse against children are forms of violence that can threaten the safety and infringe upon the basic rights of a child.

“It will leave a lasting impression on the victims who not only suffer physical injuries but also emotional trauma such as depression, fear and confusion,” she told reporters after the launch of the Eradicate Online Sexual Crimes Against Children Campaign in Malacca today.

Kalsom said the sexual exploitation of children online is on the rise, especially with child pornography offences involving the sharing of pornographic materials depicting children. 

She said with the availability of various online apps that are easy to download, parental control and monitoring are important to prevent children from getting involved in a harmful situation.

“Information gathered by police reveals that 106,764 IP addresses registered in Malaysia have been sharing child pornography since 2017 until August this year. 

“This shows an unhealthy trend involving this group since exposure to child pornography leads to sex addiction, which can bring harm and lead to other sexual issues,” she said.

She said all parties, including parents, must cooperate and unite to increase children’s awareness on the need to use social media wisely and safely while highlighting the dangers of unmonitored social media use, in line with technological advancement. – Bernama, October 2, 2022.