KUALA LUMPUR: A clear trend has emerged over the last five years, where sexual predators targeting children and adolescents have resorted to using social media to approach their targets.
Chief among the list of applications usually used by these individuals is WeChat, followed by Facebook, WhatsApp and Beetalk.
The most vulnerable target group, statistics show, are those aged between 13 and 15.
Out of 184 cases involving planned attacks on children last year, WeChat was used in 138 cases. Facebook was second with 35 cases; Whatsapp (6); and Beetalk (5).
Federal police’s Sexual, Women and Children’s Investigation (D11) principal assistant director Assistant Commissioner Ong Chin Lan said the trend of targeting children through social media cannot be ignored.
She said 184 child rape cases related to social media apps were reported last year.
“These culprits had exploited the ease with which social media enables one to make new friends, as a tool to prey on children.
“Statistic showed that children who are between 13 and 15-years-old are more prone to become victims as they make new friends on social media," said Ong.
Up until May this year, Ong said police have received 63 cases of children being targeted via social media. From the total, WeChat was used in 47 cases, Facebook for 12 cases, WhatsApp (3), and Beetalk (1).
Ong said the perpetrators' modus operandi was simple: make friends with the children, convince them to meet, and then rape them.
She urged parents to monitor their children's activities and educate them on safe online practices so that they don't fall victims to sexual predators.