The police department has been advised to form a special bureau to handle rape cases and told to be more sensitive to victims during their investigation.

"Even though there is a police unit handling sexual crimes, its main aim is prevention. Forming a bureau to specifically deal with rape cases would be more beneficial," said Noraida Endut, a lecturer from the Department of Social Science, University Science Malaysia.

Yesterday, malaysiakini reported that there had been a 200 per cent increase in reported rape cases over the last five years. These figures were part of the findings contained in the report entitled "Working Together Towards Better Services for Rape Survivors" by All Women's Action Society.

Noraida stressed that the formation of the unit is extremely important to ease the duress faced by rape victims when making a police report. Victims would also be more ready to report their ordeal when police officers had more exposure about counselling methods and made to understand the trauma and fear faced by rape victims, added Noraida.

Noraida, who is also a counsellor at Women's Crisis Centre in Penang, pointed out that the unit would also have to look into the red tape faced by the police when gathering evidence on rape cases.

She pointed out that the lack of specialists, for instance, in the field of DNA, had impeded investigation on rape cases. This must be addressed, she said.

Noraida also advised the relevant authorities to reform the Violence Against Women Act especially those sections pertaining to girls below the age of 18.

"Until now we do not have an Act that put real emphasis on the perpetrators of sexual crimes. Moreover, it is only when sexual offences such as forced oral sex and attempted rapes are properly defined that rape cases would be much easier to persecute," she said.