Protect and Save the Children executive director Amnani A Kadir said the cases, which led to charges in court against two men and a teenager, could not be seen as isolated events.
She said they indicated a major lack of monitoring, enforcement and accountability from those entrusted with the care of children.
She told FMT that past cases showed similar traits with no preventive or intervention measures in place to guarantee the safety of children.
“Child protection cannot be reactive in nature,” she said, calling for mandatory registration with authorities for welfare homes, periodical audits, and surprise checks as part of monitoring measures.
On Thursday, V Retna, caretaker of the Batu Caves children’s home, pleaded guilty to 15 counts of sexual offences against children aged eight to 13.
These included carnal intercourse against the order of nature, touching a child’s body part, and making a child touch the body part of himself or another person.
The centre’s owner, S Valan, claimed trial to four counts of sexual assault against children aged 13 to 16 and carnal intercourse against the order of nature.
A 17-year-old resident at the home meanwhile pleaded not guilty to four counts of sexual assault and unnatural intercourse against a 10-year-old boy.
Amnani said sexual offences not only affected children physically but also destroyed their trust in adults and the environments meant to protect them.
She said the psychological effects could last until adulthood, with victims suffering from shame, anxiety, and depression while struggling to build healthy relationships.
“Male victims often face the burden of social stigma, with restrictive masculinity norms and the fear of trusting others causing many to stay silent,” she added.
Psychologist Nurul Izzati Asyikin Zulkifly of International Islamic University Malaysia said weak implementation of the law often made operators lackadaisical about compliance.
She said this often led to inaccurate data, making it difficult to monitor such premises.
“Centres that take shortcuts by hiring incompetent staff lead to unsafe environments that expose children to the risk of trauma, including sexual offences,” she said.
Nurul Izzati said local communities should pay attention to children’s homes in their areas and be on the lookout for suspicious activities.