Highlights of the exual ences Against Children Bill 2017

1. Child grooming

t will be illegal for any person to communicate or meet with a child with the intention of committing a sexual offence.

2. Child pornography

hile current laws address pornography in general, it will be a bigger crime to access, produce or sell child porn.

3. Physical and non-physical sexual assault

he ill will cover physical and non-physical offences, such as causing a child to watch pornographic material or engaging in a sex act in the presence of a child.

4. Higher punishment for those in ‘relationship of trust’

A parent, guardian, teacher, medical officer, etc who commits an offence against a child will receive additional punishment of up to five years.

5. Evidence of child witnesses

For offences under this Act where the victim is a child, the child will be presumed to be competent to give evidence unless the court thin s otherwise.

6. Presumption of age of a child

he accused cannot argue that he she believed the child was above , unless the accused too all reasonable steps to ascertain the age of the child.

7. Extra-territorial application

Any Malaysian citi en can be charged with any offence under this

Act even if it was committed against a child outside Malaysia.

8. Evidence of agent provocateur admissible

vidence provided by a person who went undercover to witness an illegal act can be used in court.

9. Failure to report a crime

Any person who fails to report a sexual offence against a child will be liable to a fine of up to RM5,000.

10. Abetment

Any person who abets the commission of any offence under the Act will be punished with the same punishments provided for the offence.