KOTA BARU, April 9 — Kelantan is facing a growing crisis of underage rape and incest cases, with police reporting a disturbing annual rise in incidents, predominantly involving consensual but illegal sexual activity among minors.

Police statistics revealed the majority of victims and perpetrators are alarmingly young, with girls as young as 10 and boys aged 11 engaging in sexual relationships, with several cases resulting in pregnancies.

According to Berita Harian (BH), Kelantan police chief Datuk Mohd Yusoff Mamat stated recorded cases increased from 206 in 2023 to 252 last year, with a further 17.1 per cent spike in the first quarter of 2025 alone compared to the same period last year.

“This reflects a deeply concerning shift in social norms,” the police chief was quoted as saying by BH during a press briefing.

“While traditionally we documented cases of men pursuing women, we’re now observing underage girls proactively initiating sexual contact.”

The police chief described several distressing cases, including a 10-year-old girl who initiated relations with her 20-year-old uncle and later became pregnant. In another instance, an 11-year-old boy engaged sexually with his 15-year-old cousin, resulting in pregnancy.

Authorities also encountered a case where a teenage girl was involved with five different men.

“Forensic evidence confirms 98 per cent of these reported cases involve consensual acts between minors,” Mohd Yusoff told BH.

He stated that investigations revealed the root causes stem primarily from family conflicts and parental neglect. Additionally, early romantic relationships, inadequate religious guidance, peer pressure, and substance abuse also contributed to these incidents.

Examinations of seized mobile devices uncovered minors regularly storing and exchanging explicit material, with some sharing nude photographs within weeks of meeting new acquaintances.

Mohd Yusoff expressed particular concern about parental complacency, noting cases where families knowingly permitted daughters to host overnight stays with boyfriends without intervention.

He stressed that preventing these crimes requires everyone’s effort — not just the police. Parents, in particular, must assume greater responsibility, beginning with vigilant monitoring of their children’s digital activities and interpersonal relationships.