News Credit: Free Malaysia Today
PETALING JAYA: Two psychologists have called for a nuanced approach to tackling the rise in sex crimes, saying blocking access to pornography websites, as proposed by a deputy minister, is not enough.
Lihanna Borhan of International Islamic University Malaysia and behavioural psychologist Sitra Panirsheeluam of a mental heath clinic called The Mind Faculty told FMT they agreed that pornography contributed to sexual offences.
Lihanna said research had shown that men displaying “toxic masculinity” were more prone to committing sex crimes if they were addicted to pornography and Sitra said “excessive porn consumption” could foster sadistic behaviour and in turn lead to sex crimes.
Addiction to pornography should be treated like any other addiction, they added.
“They need professional help,” Lihanna said. “Blocking adult websites would not solve the problem. Porn addicts will find other ways to access such material.”
Deputy women, family and community development minister Aiman Athirah Sabu recently proposed that pornography be blocked, saying these had given rise to increased sex crimes.
The number of cases rose to 12,890 last year from 11,092 recorded in 2020.
Sitra said porn addiction was a mental health issue that needed professional intervention.
“But we don’t see it as a mental health issue. Porn addiction is either taboo or a religious issue in some societies and it is swept under the carpet.”
But people need to know that they should seek help, she said.
Sitra said rather than relying solely on the government to regulate the internet, people should also practise and encourage self-regulation. This includes educating the young on safe internet use, she added.
“Children should be given compulsory lessons at school to better understand matters pertaining to sexuality, such as consent, the harm that is done by sexting and underage viewing of pornography.”
Carers and educators should be given short courses so that they could guide children on safe internet use, she said.
