Alert, Pedophilia Threats Very Real

Illustration of parents must be more intense in supervising their children from the dangers of pedophilia behavior. (Between)

The disclosure of cases of sexual harassment, the making of pornography, and the sale of child pornography content by the Directorate of Cyber Crime, Bareskrim Polri on March 27, 2023, is clear evidence that pedophilia is still threatening the future of Indonesian children.

The confession of one of the suspects with the initials FR (25) is even very astonishing. Child pornography content is more in demand than adult pornographic content. The suspect can even earn up to IDR 5 million per month.

This admission should be a concern. Pedofil is a term for people who have sexual desire for children under the age of 14.

Sexual disorders called pedophilia are generally more experienced by men, but do not rule out the possibility of being experienced by women. Like the case of Yunita Sari Anggraini (20), the suspect of molestation of 17 children in Jambi City.

Pedophile victims are generally children he knows in his environment. Starting with more attention. After feeling close, pedophiles will continue with intimate conversations and sexual touch. At this stage, children will feel reluctant or afraid to refuse.

As did the other suspect FH (23). The suspect, according to the Director of Cyber Crime, Bareskrim Polri Brigadier General Adi Vivid Agustiadi Bachtiar, launched his action by familiarizing himself with the victim who is still a minor by often providing snacks and money.

"Furthermore, the perpetrator committed immoral acts and was later recorded by the suspect," he said.

Children who are lonely, depressed, or less cared for by their parents are the group of children most vulnerable to being victims of pedophilia.

Although most pedophiliates do not force sexual contact, their behavior can still have a negative impact on the mental health of the victims.

Pedophilatist victims usually feel stressed or depressed, even experiencing anxiety disorders. When trauma is not treated completely, it is not impossible, the victim will also experience pedophilia when she grows up.

Many of the perpetrators who were victims in their childhood, including FH. From the results of the examination, it turned out that he also had trauma because he had experienced sexual harassment when he was a child.

Prevention of pedophilia can be done by providing sexual education to children from an early age. Parents should not consider sexual education to be taboo for children. So, children can determine the best attitude when dealing with pedophilia.

"For example, by telling the body parts of the child that should not be touched by others. Then, make sure the child is not easily close to the adults he just met," said child psychologist and teenager Novita Tandry to VOI on March 9.

In addition, parents also need to monitor the use of gadgets. The increasingly massive development of digital technology provides loopholes for the spread of pornographic content. This must be watched out for pornographic exposure at a young age can have a negative impact on the growth and development process.

Like drugs, pornography addiction also causes quite serious brain damage. Launching Dr. Sardjito, pornography not only damages the adult brain but also the child's brain. Brain damage is the same as brain damage to people who have car accidents at very high speed.

Brain damage attacked by pornography is Pre Frontal Cortext (PFC), for the human part of the brain it is one of the most important parts. Functioning to organize emotions, concentrate, understand and distinguish right and wrong, control yourself, think critically, think and plan the future, shape personality, and behave socially.

Initially, when looking at pornography, the reaction caused was disgust, this happened because humans had a limbic system, this system also emitted dopamine hormones to calm the brain. On the other hand, dopamine will also give you pleasure, happiness as well as addiction.

If you are addicted, there will be curiosity, someone will see something more vulgar, automatically the dopamine is increasing and submerging the PFC until it shrinks and takes a long time to become inactive.

The result is very dangerous, especially for the mentality of children and adolescents. The tendency for free sex behavior and sexual deviation is very large. Not to mention other social impacts, such as being reluctant to study, having difficulty concentrating, and others.

Of course this should be a common concern. In fact, said Novita, the role of parents and family in teenage life is very important, especially in the current digital era. Teenagers are the age at which a child will experience physical and psychological changes.

"Indeed, the challenges are now tougher. The best way is to provide quality time for children. So, children can share, you can tell everything they experience. Parents must respond wisely to all children's stories. Include meaningful lessons for children," added Novita.