Aspects Of Criminal Law Against Child Predators in Malaysia

ABSTRACT


INTRODUCTION
In Malaysia, criminal law against child predators is governed by the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017 (SOACA) (Ayub & Yusoff, 2018;).This act provides a comprehensive legal framework for the protection of children from sexual exploitation and abuse.Under SOACA, it is a criminal offense for an adult to engage in sexual activity with a child, defined as anyone under the age of 18 (Ngubane, 2022;Stevanović, 2022).This includes sexual penetration, sexual grooming, and possession or distribution of child pornography.SOACA also criminalizes the procurement of a child for the purpose of sexual exploitation, as well as the trafficking of children for sexual purposes.It is also an offense to fail to report knowledge or suspicion of child sexual abuse or exploitation.
The penalties for these crimes are severe, including imprisonment and fines (Morton et al., 2018;Ramadhani et al., 2021;Cullen et al., 2019).In cases involving the sexual exploitation or abuse of a child, the court may also order the offender to undergo treatment or counselling (Wild et al., 2019;Bartels & Blackley, 2018).In addition to SOACA, other laws in Malaysia provide further protections for children, including the Child Act 2001, which criminalizes child abuse and neglect, and the Children and Young Persons (Employment) Act 1966, which prohibits the employment of children in hazardous or inappropriate work.Overall, the criminal law in Malaysia takes a strong stance against child predators and provides robust protections for children from sexual exploitation and abuse (Luong, 2021;Ali et al., 2021).

METHODS
This study research using qualitative methods, the following steps can be followed to identify the research question: The first step is to identify the specific research question or questions that you want to answer.This could be something like: "What are the challenges and successes experienced by law enforcement officials in enforcing criminal law against child predators in Malaysia?" or "What are the perceptions and concerns of parents and educators about child sexual abuse and the effectiveness of criminal law in addressing this issue?"Select the study participants: The next step is to decide who you will include in your study.This could include law enforcement officials, social workers, parents, educators, and other members of the community.It is important to consider factors such as diversity and representativeness when selecting participants.Develop a data collection plan: Once you have identified your research question and

RESULTS
Criminal law against child predators in Malaysia is an important aspect of the country's efforts to protect children from sexual abuse and exploitation.We will discuss some key aspects of this area of law and how it is enforced in Malaysia.One important aspect of criminal law against child predators in Malaysia is the definition of what constitutes a "child."Under Malaysian law, a child is defined as a person who is under the age of 18.This means that any person who sexually abuses or exploits a person who is under the age of 18 can be charged with a crime.Another key aspect of criminal law against child predators in Malaysia is the types of crimes that are punishable under the law.These crimes include sexual abuse, sexual exploitation, and possession or distribution of child pornography.The penalties for these crimes can range from imprisonment to fines, depending on the severity of the offense.
One way in which Malaysia enforces criminal law against child predators is through the use of special laws and agencies.For example, the Sexual Offences Against Children Act of 2017 (SOCA) is a law that specifically targets sexual abuse and exploitation of children.The Act allows for the prosecution of individuals who commit these crimes, as well as the protection of child victims.In addition, the Royal Malaysia Police (RMP) has a special unit called the Sexual, Women, and Child Investigation Division (D11) that is responsible for investigating crimes against children, including sexual abuse and exploitation.
In addition to these legal measures, Malaysia also takes a preventative approach to protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation.For example, the country has implemented a number of programs and initiatives to educate children about the dangers of sexual abuse and exploitation, and to provide them with the skills and knowledge they need to protect themselves.These programs are often run-in partnership with NGOs and other community organizations.The Children Act 2001: An overview of the main legislation addressing crimes against children in Malaysia.The Children Act 2001 is a comprehensive law that was enacted in Malaysia to protect the rights and welfare of children.The act covers a wide range of issues related to children, including child abuse, neglect, exploitation, and trafficking.The Children Act 2001 provides for the establishment of child protection agencies and outlines the procedures for reporting and investigating cases of child abuse.It also establishes the rights of children to protection and assistance, and provides for the appointment of guardians and other measures to protect the interests of children.
The Children Act 2001 includes provisions for the care and protection of abandoned and neglected children, as well as provisions for the rehabilitation and reintegration of children who have been in conflict with the law.It also provides for the establishment of children's courts and the appointment of judges and magistrates with specialized training in children's issues.Overall, the Children Act 2001 plays a crucial role in protecting the rights and welfare of children in Malaysia and provides a comprehensive legal framework for addressing crimes against children.Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Journal of Judikaltura Vol 1 No 1 2022
Policies and practices to protect children from sexual abuse: An examination of the policies and practices that are in place to protect children from sexual abuse In Malaysia In Malaysia, there are a number of policies and practices in place to protect children from sexual abuse.These include laws and regulations that criminalize sexual abuse of children, as well as programs and initiatives aimed at preventing sexual abuse and providing support to victims.One key piece of legislation that addresses child sexual abuse in Malaysia is the Children Act 2001.This act provides a comprehensive legal framework for protecting children from abuse, neglect, and exploitation, and includes provisions for the care and protection of abandoned and neglected children, as well as provisions for the rehabilitation and reintegration of children who have been in conflict with the law.
In addition to legislation, there are also a number of programs and initiatives in place to prevent and respond to child sexual abuse in Malaysia.For example, the Ministry of Women, Family, and Community Development operates a hotline for reporting child abuse, and there are a number of child protection agencies and organizations that provide support and assistance to children who have experienced sexual abuse.There are also a number of initiatives focused on raising awareness about child sexual abuse and teaching children how to protect themselves.For example, the Royal Malaysia Police (RMP) runs a "Safety First" program that educates children on how to stay safe online and in the physical world, and the National Council for Child Welfare Malaysia (NCCW) provides resources and training to parents, teachers, and other caregivers on how to recognize and prevent child sexual abuse.Overall, while there are policies and practices in place to protect children from sexual abuse in Malaysia, there is still a need for ongoing efforts to prevent and respond to this issue, including research and evaluation to better understand the effectiveness of existing policies and practices.
Future directions: Suggestions for future research and potential areas for improvement in criminal law against child predators in Malaysia.There are a number of areas where future research and improvement could be beneficial in the area of criminal law against child predators in Malaysia.Some potential suggestions for future research and improvement include: Evaluating the effectiveness of current laws and policies: More research is needed to understand the effectiveness of existing laws and policies in addressing child sexual abuse in Malaysia, including the Children Act 2001.This could involve evaluating the impact of these laws and policies on the prevalence of child sexual abuse, as well as assessing the effectiveness of different approaches to enforcing these laws and policies.
Developing and implementing best practices: Research could also be conducted to identify best practices for preventing and responding to child sexual abuse in Malaysia.This could include identifying effective interventions for preventing child sexual abuse, as well as developing and implementing best practices for supporting and assisting victims of child sexual abuse.Improving data collection and analysis: To better understand the scope and impact of child sexual abuse in Malaysia, it will be important to improve the collection and analysis of data on this issue.This could involve developing more comprehensive and standardized approaches for collecting and reporting data on child sexual abuse, as well as analyzing this data to identify trends and patterns.
Promoting public awareness and education: Raising public awareness and educating the public about child sexual abuse can be an important aspect of preventing and responding to this issue.Future research could focus on developing and evaluating the effectiveness of public awareness and education campaigns in Malaysia.Enhancing collaboration and coordination: Improving collaboration and coordination among the various agencies and organizations involved in addressing child sexual abuse in Malaysia could be another area for improvement.This could involve developing more effective mechanisms for sharing information and resources, as well as working together to develop and implement strategies to address child sexual abuse.Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

DISCUSSION
Child predators are individuals who engage in sexual activity with children or who produce, possess, or distribute child pornography (Gottfried et al., 2020;Steely et al., 2018).The Children Act 2001 is the main legislation that addresses crimes against children in Malaysia.Under this act, it is a criminal offense to commit any act of sexual abuse against a child, including rape, sexual assault, and sexual grooming.It is also a criminal offense to produce, possess, or distribute child pornography.Qualitative research methods, such as interviews and focus groups, can be useful for studying aspects of criminal law against child predators in Malaysia.These methods allow researchers to gather in-depth information and insights from participants about their experiences and perspectives on the topic.
For example, researchers could conduct interviews with law enforcement officials, social workers, and other professionals who work with child victims of sexual abuse to better understand the challenges and successes they have experienced in enforcing criminal law against child predators in Malaysia (Mohammad et al., 2019).Researchers could also conduct focus groups with parents, educators, and other members of the community to gather their thoughts and concerns about child sexual abuse and the effectiveness of criminal law in addressing this issue.Overall, qualitative research methods can provide valuable insights and perspectives on the complex issues surrounding criminal law against child predators in Malaysia, and can help inform policies and practices aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse.

CONCLUSION
Criminal law against child predators in Malaysia is an important aspect of the country's efforts to protect children from sexual abuse and exploitation.Through the use of special laws, agencies, and preventative measures, Malaysia is working to ensure that children are safe and protected from these crimes.