TANGKAK, MALAYSIA - The number of women who have been raped and molested by bomohs and fortune tellers in Johor may be higher as some are embarrassed to lodge reports.

State Women, Family, Community Development and Health Committee chairman Dr Robiah Kosai hoped that the victims would report the matter to stop such men from preying on others.

She said she was not surprised to hear about women going to bomohs to 'cure' their illnesses, adding that some politicians also consulted bomohs.

She was commenting on The Star report of the rising number of women being raped and molested by bomohs for casting away evil spirits and even to restore their virginity.

The victims, in their teens and early 20s, said the bomohs even engaged female assistants to convince their victims that they were doing the right thing.

In one of the latest cases, the parents of a 15-year-old student watched as a bomoh molested the girl during a ritual at their house.

In another case, an ustaz was said to have raped a university lecturer from Negri Sembilan who wanted to get rid of 'evil voices'.

The same man also molested a 21-year-old clerk from Selangor who wanted to restore her virginity after breaking up with her boyfriend recently. --THE STAR