Lawmaker urges tougher penalties for child sexual crimes

Lawmaker Wong Kit Cheng is calling for stronger criminal penalties for sexual offences against minors, including mandatory prison terms and the removal of alternative sentencing such as fines, following a recent spike in reported cases of child sexual abuse.

Her appeal comes after a case involving a traditional Chinese medicine practitioner who was arrested over allegations of abusing a minor during a clinic visit.

The suspect, who has worked in Macau for 17 years, is also facing fraud charges linked to alleged misuse of health voucher subsidies.

Wong said the incident highlights urgent gaps in both legal protections and professional safeguards.

She urged authorities to revise the Penal Code so that offences involving minors carry higher minimum sentences and cannot be replaced with non-custodial penalties.

She also pointed to official statistics showing 28 reported cases of child sexual abuse in the first three quarters of last year, an 80% increase compared with the same period previously.

She stressed that rising figures risk eroding public confidence and said Macau must strengthen both prevention systems and victim support networks.

“The impact of these cases on public trust cannot be ignored. It is essential to continue improving preventive mechanisms and strengthening the protection network,” she said.

Wong also called for expanded legal and sexual education efforts in schools, communities and families, working alongside social service organizations to improve awareness and encourage reporting among young people.

Beyond legal reform, Wong – who is also a nurse – urged a review of medical guidelines governing patient treatment, particularly cases involving minors. She suggested requiring parental presence or an additional healthcare professional during procedures that involve physical contact, to reduce risks and improve accountability.

She further recommended that health authorities consider precautionary suspension measures for practitioners under investigation, depending on the severity of allegations.

The government has previously rejected proposals to raise penalties for such crimes, arguing that existing punishments are already among the strictest in Macau’s criminal system and consistent with comparable offences.