Ramp up awareness campaigns for incest, child abuse, says activist

PETALING JAYA: An activist has called for more continuous and regular awareness campaigns for child abuse following the surge in incest and abuse cases reported since movement restrictions were first imposed in March last year.

James Nayagam of the Suriana Welfare Society said there were no added mechanisms as yet since the lockdowns last year.

James added that media awareness campaigns must target the correct groups, especially mothers. “We can educate children, but awareness is created among mothers and we also have to provide them with assurances that they will be safe,” he said.

Mothers who depended on husbands or new boyfriends for food and shelter were more likely to hide child abuse incidents out of fear of getting kicked out, he said.

It was reported recently that police have received more reports of minors being raped by older members of their family during the MCO.

Bukit Aman’s principal assistant director of the sexual, women and child Investigations division Siti Kamsiah Hassan said during this time, other trusted family members were able to observe behavioural changes in the victims.

Siti also said most of the cases that have been reported were children being abused for the first time in the last five to six years.

She added that most of the offenders are the biological fathers and the victims would have no knowledge of what sex is and were not aware what was being done to them was criminal.

Nayagam said incest was often conducted behind closed walls, and neighbours and communities should come together to identify and report such incidents.

He also called for the setting up of community centres in neighbourhoods that may keep an eye out for any possibility of abuse happening in the community.

He said one centre he started three years ago at PPR Desa Mentari was very effective and residents had become the ears and eyes of the community.

Nayagam also suggested that neighbours look out for certain signs that may indicate a member of a family was involved in incest or child abuse. The victim would usually be very quiet and timid, or would refuse to talk to anybody else.

“They should also look out for strange sounds from their neighbour’s houses,” he said.

He added that the perpetrator may appear very unfriendly.

Neighbours should also take complaints seriously. “Most cases I come across, such families are not very socially active. They’re very quiet and they’re all closed up because they’re warned not to talk to anybody,” he added.

“Usually children would be very open and people mix with other families and talk together etc, but when a family is cut off that’s when something is amiss,” he said. - FMT

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