Low Access to Justice for Vulnerable Victims of Sexual Crimes
By Karen Lai
March 2024 FEATURE
ACCESS TO JUSTICE is a fundamental human right. It can also be elusive. We often think of the law as inherently neutral or fair, but what one considers a “good law” on paper does not always translate to just results in reality. Although Malaysia has strong legislation on sexual crimes, including the commendable Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017, justice remains out of reach for many victims.Approximately 70% of all reported sexual crimes in Malaysia are committed against children, that...
Karen Lai
is the Programme Director of the Women’s Centre for Change (www.wccpenang.org), an NGO in Penang dedicated to ending violence against women and children. Karen practised law for seven years, and has advocated for gender equality and social justice for nearly two decades.
