More than 4,500 child abuse cases recorded between 2015, 2016

KUALA LUMPUR: A total of 4,652 child abuse cases recorded between 2015 and 2016 with the bulk of it being physical and sexual abuses.
Deputy Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Azizah Mohd Dun told the Dewan Rakyat that broken families, husband and wife disputes and other family problems are the main causes of child abuse cases.
Other factors include financial problems in families, pressure at workplaces and lack of education as well as shallow religious knowledge.
More than 53% (2,470) of the total recorded cases are physical abuse followed by 43% (2,012) of sexual abuse cases while the balance 170 cases are of emotional abuse.
“We have 3,718 cases of child abuse contributed by family problems and disputes throughout 2012-2016.
“There are parents who abuse their children because of household crises and problems between husband and wife to the extent that the children become victims,” Azizah said.
She said parental negligence and abandonment of children have also contributed to children being abused physically, sexually and emotionally.
“In the last five years, the Social Welfare Department has recorded 2,419 cases of negligence and abandonment by parents or guardians.
“This is because many of these cases happen when the children are either left without proper supervisions or left unattended,” Azizah said.
She no matter how pressured parents can be due to external pressures from workplace or financial crises, it is “senseless” to bring it upon their children and abuse them.
Azizah also described such parents as “immature” in parenting.
The Child Act 2001 was amended May and gazetted in July last year to put heavier penalties for negligent parents or guardians.
Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Rohani Abdul Karim had reportedly said that the punishment would not only apply to serious cases of child negligence but also in cases where children are left forgotten in vehicles and left unsupervised in a public area or homes, all of which result in death or injury.
However, the Act is yet to be enforced due to delay in the drafting of regulations including the community service order and rehabilitation programme.