Southeast Asian nations have reported rising rates of online sexual harassment, and some have ramped up legislative response, including efforts to offer quicker legal pathways for victims and removing sexually harmful online content.
Here’s a look at the situation in some countries.
Malaysia
In Malaysia, reported sexual harassment police cases rose over 60 per cent from 522 in 2023 to 872 in 2025.
Malaysia’s Anti-Sexual Harassment Act, enacted in 2022, created a tribunal for victims to seek quick, affordable redress without a lawyer but was only established in 2024.
Since its formation, 86 complaints have been recorded, including 50 sexual harassment complaints, according to local media reports. The tribunal also said in 2025 that “a number” of complaints involved online or digital elements.
In March 2024, Malaysia also proposed an e-filing system to allow victims outside the country to lodge sexual harassment complaints with the tribunal.
In its 2024/2045 annual report, the Women’s Aid Organisation in Malaysia recorded a rise in technology-based harassment cases, which more than doubled from 92 to 251 between 2024 and 2025.
Thailand
Thailand’s amendments to its criminal code took effect on Dec 30, 2025, criminalising not only physical sexual harassment but also online and verbal harassment.
Penalties for “basic sexual harassment” – defined as sexual conduct causing distress, embarrassment, or fear – include a jail term of up to one year and a fine of up to 20,000 baht (US$619) or both.
On Jan 26, the government also expedited a judicial process enabling online sexual harassment victims to obtain court orders to suspend and remove obscene online content through a “Take it down” button.
This was followed by the Thai Criminal Court ordering the removal or suspension of more than 380,000 illegal website links in the first three months of 2026, surpassing the total recorded in 2024.
Philippines
In March this year, the Philippines government alongside the Philippine Commission on Women proposed amendments to its Safe Spaces Act enacted in April 2019, aiming to address technology-facilitated gender-based violence and close existing legislative gaps.
The commission stressed that abuse is evolving, with many cases occurring through digital platforms, with proposed amendments expanding coverage to groups such as student interns and trainees not explicitly covered by the law.
From 2012 to 2025, Philippines’ Foundation for Media Alternatives mapped 738 cases of online gender-based violence in the country through media reports. Young women of 18 years old and younger reportedly made up the majority of victims.
Vietnam
Unlike its regional neighbours, Vietnam has no standalone sexual harassment law, with protections falling under a 2021 Labour Code but limited to the workplace where sexual harassment is prohibited but not criminalised: employers are legally required to define sexual harassment and act on complaints. The law also does not cover online abuse.
In April, Vietnam approved a national programme on preventing gender-based violence for the next five years, expanding victim-centered support services within its cities and provinces which will run at least five community-based safe shelters in each province tailored to local needs.
All identified victims are expected to access at least one support service by 2030.
The programme also plans to establish inter-agency coordination mechanisms in 60 per cent of his localities to prevent and address sexual violence.
A 2021 UN report found that about 11.4 per cent of Vietnamese women had experienced sexual harassment at some point in their lives”. In a 2016 report, non-profit ActionAid found that 87 per cent of Vietnamese women and girls have encountered sexual harassment in a public place.
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