Rise in awareness on sexual crimes, abuse in Kedah

Over the past two years, there has been greater awareness on sexual crime and abuse, including those involving children, among the people of Kedah, said state police acting chief Datuk Zakaria Yusof.

As a result, there were more reports on sexual abuse, domestic abuse and child abuse, he said.

He said the police sexual, domestic abuse and child investigation division (D11) recorded an increase in the number of cases reported this year as compared to last year and 2012.

"The chart drawn up by the Kedah D11 Unit shows a comparison in the number of cases involving rape, incest, sodomy and domestic violence, which shows 611 cases in 2012 as compared to 599 in 2013 and 671 cases between January and September 2014.

"For this year, the increase in cases may be the result of awareness among women who now know their rights to lodge a report," he told reporters at the Kedah police contingent headquarters here, Wednesday.