Kuala Lumpur: Faith figures including religious teachers and celebrity preachers are increasingly abusing their positions for sexual crimes, said the police.
According to Kompas, federal police statistics indicate a rising trend in offences committed by those in such positions, suggesting a growing readiness to exploit their standing in the community.
SAC Siti Kamsiah Hassan, principal assistant director of the Sexual, Women, and Child Investigations Division (D11), said the perpetrators often manipulate their victims through a grooming process that exploits their position of influence.
“These offenders gain the trust of their victims by presenting themselves as kind and generous, often offering gifts or showing special attention.
“They then escalate their behaviour, requesting indecent acts such as massaging intimate areas, genitalia, or engaging in sexual acts," she was quoted as saying.
Siti Kamsiah said such tactics were effective as the targets and victims typically idolised these sexual predators.
While most cases involve male perpetrators and female victims, there has been a notable increase in male victims coming forward, she added.
The police official also suggested that the true extent of the menace may be masked by the fact that many victims are hesitant to report the incidents, citing feelings of guilt, fear, or embarrassment.
Siti Kamsiah cited an example of a teenage boy who hesitated to report abuse by a religious figure due to fear and financial dependency on the perpetrator. The case was only uncovered after others brought it to light.
Others also only came to light when the resulting pregnancies became too obvious to hide, she added.
The religious figures often exploit cultural norms and societal reverence for them, in order to maintain control over their victims. "
She added that the authorities were increasing efforts to raise public awareness about grooming tactics and provide a safer environment for survivors to seek justice.
Last year, Malaysia was shocked by the discovery of widespread sexual abuse and trafficking at GISB Holdings(GISBH), a quasi-religious group with links to the previously banned Al-Arqam cult.
The year also saw the high profile cases of celebrity preachers who were accused of various sexual offences, ranging from rape to sexual harassment.
