Terengganu police chief Khairi Khairudin said 60 of the cases involved rape, while 10 were incest cases.

“The youngest (victim) this year was a six-year-old girl, and the suspect was her 14-year-old cousin. Another case involved a six-year-old girl and her brother’s 15-year-old friend,” Sinar Harian quoted him as saying.

The 70 cases recorded in the same period in 2024 comprised 64 rape and six incest cases.

Fifty-five of the cases this year – 50 rape and five incest cases – involved underage victims. Last year, 58 cases – 54 rape and four incest – involved underage victims.

“This shows that sexual crimes against teenagers and children remain a recurring issue, not just in Kuala Terengganu, but across the state,” Khairi said, adding that some perpetrators were school dropouts.

He said while some incidents occurred with apparent consent, the law treated sexual activity with minors as rape.

Khairi said social media influence had been identified as a key factor leading teenagers to become either victims or perpetrators.

“Many cases begin through online interactions. Some teenagers, after knowing each other for just a week or two, dare to meet in person, which eventually leads to sexual offences.

“In this regard, parents need to play an important role in monitoring and guiding their children to prevent them from becoming victims or perpetrators of such crimes,” he said.