Nancy speaking to reporters during the Raya open house at her residence in Kuching. — Photo by Roystein Emmor
KUCHING (May 5): A proper monitoring system must be put in place at every education institution, including childcare centres, so as to facilitate the reporting of any suspected cases of sexual abuse against minors.
Federal Women, Family and Community Development Ministry Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri, in stating this, also pointed out that all federal ministries including hers, the Education Ministry, Health Ministry, Local Government Development Ministry, and Youth and Sports Ministry, shouldered the same responsibility in preventing sexual assault cases involving minors from happening.
“Sex education is very important in getting children to understand what is happening and to know what to do next.
“At the same time, we need to reassure the children that there are channels for them to lodge reports,” she said, adding that 24-hour hotline number, 15999, had been set and could be used by victims of sexual abuse to report their cases.
Nancy, who is Santubong MP, told reporters this during a Hari Raya visit by Premier of Sarawak Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg to her residence in Petra Jaya here today.
Her remarks were made in connection with a recent case in Pork Dickson, Negeri Sembilan involving a 20-year-old whoman who had been raped by her own father over the past eight years
Calling the case ‘very sickening’, Nancy said the victim had lodged a police report, but her ministry had yet to receive information from the police.
“On our side, usually when we have not received the report from the police, we would contact the force to obtain information so that we can take further action.”
In a statement yesterday, police said a couple had been arrested in Pork Dickson after their daughter lodged a report on May 1, claiming that her father had repeatedly raped her since she was 12 years old, to a point that she had given birth twice – one of the babies died shortly after birth.
The victim also claimed that her mother had taken no action after being informed about the ordeal.
It was reported that the couple had drug-related criminal records.
In this regard, Nancy said an evaluation would also be conducted to determine whether the victim could care for her three-year-old child, or for the toddler to be placed at a children’s home under the protection of her ministry.