Inspector-General of Police Khalid Abu Bakar said the Child Cyber Sexual Investigation Task Force was set up early this month to bring “online sexual predators” to book.

He said it is headed by the Bukit Aman Commercial Crime Investigation Department.

“Cases of sexual assault, domestic violence and violence towards children have become more intricate.

“A new case has emerged involving the exploitation of adult women, teenage girls and children through the Internet.

“The social media has become the weapon of these online sexual predators to exploit the victims,” he told reporters after officiating the closing ceremony of the 2016 Seminar for Senior Women Police Officers at the Royal Malaysian Police College here today.

Also present was Women, Family and Community Development Minister Rohani Abdul Karim.

Meanwhile, Khalid revealed that foreigners also used the social media to sexually assault teenage girls and children.

He said the modus operandi used was dubbed “cyber sexual grooming” where the offenders would “train” their victims to perform sexual acts through the Internet.

“They sweet-talk their victims into following their instructions on how to perform sex acts and this has been going on over the past several months,” he added.

Khalid said initial investigations revealed that children as young as 13, especially girls, were targeted.

The seminar themed, “The Development of Women Police Officers in the Era of Modern Policing” was attended by 200 women police officers nationwide.

– BERNAMA