Online ‘friendship’
It is reported that the culprit is a 20-year-old man working in a forwarding company. As he lived in a village in Klang, he befriended four teenage girls through Facebook. He was arrested after one of the girls told her parents. They subsequently lodged a police report against the man.
More than one victim
According to South Klang OCPD Asst Comm Mohamed Mat Yusof said the man had been previously charged for committing the offence with the first victim and was released on bail:
“We arrested him again on Sept 6 after receiving a report from the parents of another victim in similar circumstances.” said Yusof.
However, it seems that getting arrested multiple times has not deterred the man from seeking out more victims. He also admitted to committing statutory rape with more than one girl, according to the police. “When we interrogated the man, he confessed to having sex with two other girls between March and September last year while he was out on bail,” Yusof said in a press conference.
Internet safety for children
Social networking sites and chat applications make communication fast and convenient but also bring hidden risks with their use. It’s easy for a person to hide behind online anonymity and pretend to be someone else.
Online predators may try to entrap kids into sexual conversations or even face-to-face meetings. Predators will sometimes send obscene material or request that kids send compromising pictures of themselves. Therefore, it’s vital to teach kids to be on their guard.
Here are 5 tips to ensure your child’s safety online:
1. Don’t share personal details. Kids should never give out personal phone numbers, email addresses and passwords over the internet. Explain the dangers to them so they can understand the reasons behind the rule.
2. Be careful with photos. Teach kids that once a photo is posted online, virtually anyone in the world can see it. Ask them to think before posting a photo, and ask themselves if they’d want a complete stranger seeing it.
3. Watch when younger children are online. Make sure that younger children are not visiting unsavoury websites or chatting to strangers.
4. Don’t meet them in person. Your child should never meet with anyone they first met online without your permission.
5. Look out for suspicious behaviour. Is your child suddenly withdrawn and always chatting online with ‘new’ friends? Do not hesitate to ask questions, especially if your child is acting strangely. If you feel that your child is in danger, make a police report.
Source: Asia One