Underage girls who have consensual sex should also face legal action when their partners are charged with statutory rape, Kelantan police chief Yusoff Mamat has suggested.
He said his proposal is to send a clear warning to teenagers against being involved in sexual crimes.
He said nearly 90% of statutory rape cases reported in the state involve consent by both parties, “but the existing laws lean more towards prosecuting men only,” Sinar Harian quoted him as saying.
“We don’t want to prosecute nilly-willy, and want to find more effective methods of prevention. If the laws allow for action against both parties, such cases can be prevented,” he said.
(The Penal Code provision on rape makes it an offence to have sex with or without consent with a girl under 16. It is also an offence to have sex with consent with a female person when she is unable to understand the nature and consequences of that to which she gives consent.)
Yusoff said he would raise his proposal with the Attorney-General’s Chambers, Kelantan Islamic religious department and other related authorities to refine legal mechanisms and allow for fairer actions to be taken.
Yusoff’s remarks were made when he was asked to comment on the increase in cases of rape and sexual crimes involving teenagers in Kelantan since last year.
He said girls are usually protected as victims under the Penal Code provision for rape, and under the Sexual Offences Against Children Act.
