DAP man appalled by increase in number of incest cases
KUCHING: The shocking number of incest cases reported over the past few months calls for more deliberate and serious actions by the Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development as well as the relevant authorities to properly and effectively address the issue, said Dr Kelvin Yii.
Dr Yii, who is the special assistant to Bandar Kuching MP Chong Chieng Jen, noted that the number of incest cases in Sarawak this year had increased to 15 up to this month ( September) from a total of 13 for the whole of 2016.
There are also possibilities that a lot of cases go unreported because of multiple reasons including fear or even the lack of knowledge of how to report such a crime. Last year the youngest victim reported was only three-years-old. Dr Kelvin Yii, special assistant to Bandar Kuching MP Chong Chieng Jen
“There are also possibilities that a lot of cases go unreported because of multiple reasons including fear or even the lack of knowledge of how to report such a crime. Last year the youngest victim reported was only three-years- old,” he said in a press statement yesterday.
Dr Yii applauded Minister of Welfare, Community Well Being, Women, Family and Childhood Development Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah’s efforts to address this issue as well as to encourage people with information on the heinous crime to report such cases to the nearest police station.
Indeed, the cooperation of the community, including the parents is very much needed to tackle this problem and reduce the number of incest cases in the state, he added.
Thus, Dr Yii suggested that the ministry set up a special 24-hour hotline such as a special Child Abuse Protection Hotline where the operators are specifically trained and able to handle such complaints while making decisions on keeping the confidentiality of the complainants for their own protection.
“While going to the police station is an important move, it takes a lot of courage and is a big step for people involved especially the victims. We thus must help facilitate a safe and easier way for such cases to be reported and dealt with professionally.”
On top of that, he also suggested the ministry set up government- funded mental health facilities to provide proper counselling and psychotherapy by trained clinical psychologists as well as psychiatrists if needed.
“We also must think of the after- effect of such heinous crimes and help the victims deal with such trauma and pain.”
Besides the emotional problems that may emerge from the abuse, Dr Yii said some of the victims may be affected by social maladjustment including alcoholism, drug abuse, self-injury or even sleeping or eating disorders.
“Victims should realise that what is happening to them is not their fault and that they do not have to handle the situation alone. We, thus, must offer the best care and therapy to assist the victims get back on their feet as well as empower them to create awareness so that no one else has to go through such a heinous crime.”
He continued: “We were also shocked by the case in Serian where the girl was a sex slave to her father, grandfather and uncles. They started to rape her six years ago when she was 13-years- old, and on top of that her younger sister also had to go through the same terrible ordeal of being raped since she was nine-years- old.”
Dr Yii thus hoped the ministry as well as the relevant authorities take this matter seriously — that no one child will have to go through this ordeal again.
“One case is one too many and it is our duty as a community to protect our children so that they will grow up and one day contribute to the future of our society.”