Assistant Director of Bukit Aman Sexual, Women and Child Investigations Division (D11), ACP Siti Kamsiah Hassan said, the perpetrator may be the breadwinner of the family and the victim may not want to risk the family's welfare or cause them any financial trouble.

“From what I have seen in cases, some of these children are aware of the crime being perpetrated against them, but they are also worried about the long-term effects on the family.

“Even though cases get reported and the perpetrators get charged, it does not resolve the root of the issue because they are not given a solution to the problem.

“You would think that once the abuser is in prison, the problem is resolved but, in most cases, they are not.

“All that gets resolved is via the law and implementation levels, but there is nothing about the victim's survival,” she said in response to why victims of sexual abuse involving family members are unwilling to come forward.

ACP Siti Kamsiah said, the difficult part was that children who do come forward are unable to foresee what would happen next.

This is why there is a need for a comprehensive support system to help victims come out of the abusive cycle while addressing the issue at its core, she said during a townhall session organised by Yayasan Chow Kit entitled “Working Together to Enhance Child Protection'' at Help University here yesterday.

Read further on The Star’s article attached.