KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 11 ― Nearly nine in 10 children in Malaysia will seek help from their parents if faced with online sexual abuse, a poll by the United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef) has revealed.

Unicef had polled 800 girls and boys aged between 14 and 17 in four states during its townhalls last year ― Johor, Kelantan, Penang, Sarawak ― and found that 86 per cent of them identified their parents as the most trusted adult source to seek.

The agency had also launched its "The State of the World’s Children 2017: Children in a digital world” (SOWC 2017) report yesterday, that presented a comprehensive view of the different ways digital technology was affecting children’s lives.

The report urged the collective action of governments, private sector, children’s organisations, academia, families and children themselves to make the internet safer for children.

"Our challenge today is to help children be aware of the risks whilst reaping the benefits that the internet has to offer, by mediating rather than restricting access,” Marianne Clark-Hattingh, Unicef representative here, said in a statement.

She said parents may unintentionally expose their children to harm online by not fully understanding the risks themselves.

 "It is therefore crucial that they too are aware of the risks and know where to get the right information,” she said.

In the flagship publication, SOWC 2017 provided some recommendations to guide more effective policymaking and more responsible business practices to benefit children.

In Malaysia, the Sexual Offences against Children Act 2017 was passed to provide a legal framework which encompasses new offences such as online grooming and child pornography.

The Unicef townhalls had provided young people from 316 schools with a safe space to learn and discuss issues relating to healthy teen relationships, teen online dating and internet-related sexual violence. 

They were supported by the Federation of Reproductive Health Associations Malaysia and the police.

Another survey of 1,000 children published in November last year showed that over three out of five Malaysian children polled have urged adult leaders to eradicate racism and discrimination, as well as gender-based violence such as rape, sexual violence and child marriage.