KUALA LUMPUR: A total of 2,059 sexual abuse cases involving children were recorded up until April this year.
Women, Family and Community Development Minister, Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri, said according to statistics from the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM), 5,401 cases of child sexual abuse were reported in 2023.
She said the Social Welfare Department (JKM) had also recorded 2,240 cases of child abuse up until August, compared to 4,469 cases last year.
"Child abuse cases are classified into three categories: physical abuse, sexual abuse, and emotional abuse.
"Sexual offences involving children are divided into 14 categories, including incest, molestation, indecent behaviour, stalking, unnatural sex, child pornography, sexual communication with children, and non-physical sexual exploitation," she said in a written response posted on the Parliament website today.
She was responding to a question from Syed Ibrahim Syed Noh (PH-Ledang) regarding the statistics of sexual abuse and child abuse cases throughout 2023 and 2024.
Nancy said the government has implemented various initiatives covering prevention, protection, and rehabilitation through legal frameworks and enforcement.
"Efforts to curb child abuse and sexual crimes against children should not rest solely with the government.
"Continuous and integrated cooperation from all parties, including individuals, communities, private sector organisations, and non-governmental organisations, is essential to ensuring that these crimes do not continue to affect children in the country," she said.