They say such reports could lead to bullying of the woman’s children.

Mayna Patel of the All Women’s Action Society said she regarded the woman as a victim of economic hardship and would interpret the headings used for the reports as victim blaming.

She told FMT she believed the woman’s income as a masseuse was insufficient considering her responsibility over her seven children.

If she and her children were to become victims of bullying, Mayna said, they could suffer depression, anxiety or some other form of mental stress.

“Moving forward from such trauma would take a long time, even longer for children,” she said.

Mayna urged the media to be delicate when reporting stories of sexual indiscretion and also of domestic violence.

“The names of survivors and perpetrators can and should be withheld to prevent victim blaming and vigilante action,” she said.

Gayathry S Venkiteswaran of Nottingham University Malaysia said media organisations had the “obligation to observe ethical and professional standards”.

She claimed that there had always been a media frenzy over stories about sex work and police raids on places suspected of offering sex services.

This would often lead to stereotyping and victimisation, she said.

Referring to the case of the masseuse and similar cases, she said: “Even if the children are not immediate victims, the stigmatisation can be harmful and last long.”