Police Asked To Immediately Investigate Cases Of LC Under 5 Months Pregnant At West Jakarta Nightclub

JAKARTA The Indonesian Child Protection Commission (KPAI) urges the police to investigate the potential of other children who are victims of sexual exploitation by becoming song guides or Lady Companion (LC) to getting pregnant at nightclubs in West Jakarta.

"I believe more than one (victim) if we want to see the trend of the situation that is almost the same. This is also homework for law enforcers," said KPAI Chairman Ai Maryati, ANTARA, Monday, August 11, 2025.

He responded to the case of a minor with the initials SHM (15) who was employed as an LC at a karaoke bar in West Jakarta until she was five months pregnant.

He also did not deny that Jakarta is an entertainment center, including night entertainment. However, hiring a minor until the child is pregnant is a criminal act so it must be thoroughly investigated.

"Yes, it means that we cannot turn a blind eye to Jakarta, this is an entertainment center, tourism, night entertainment if I may mention it. But yes, we must comply with the rules. We must not employ children in the worst form of work, this is clearly a crime, there is sexual exploitation," said Maryati.

He also does not tolerate alibis that the child is looking for work so as to legitimize the actions of the perpetrators.

"So it must be fully examined. Otherwise, I think it will be an alibi that, for example, this child wants to work, this child is looking for work and so on. In fact, it can actually be prevented and efforts cannot be made to employ minors in places like that," he said.

Previously, the Sub-Directorate of Youth, Children and Women (Renakta) of the Directorate of General Criminal Investigation of the Metro Jaya Police revealed a case of child sexual exploitation that occurred in West Jakarta.

Head of Public Relations of Polda Metro Jaya Kombes Pol Ade Ary explained that the disclosure of the case was based on Police Report Number: LP/B/2248/IV/2025/SPKT/POLDA METRO JAYA, dated April 3, 2025.

"The case began when the victim with the initials SHM (15) received a job offer via Facebook as a karaoke guide for a fee of Rp. 125 thousand per hour at a bar in the West Jakarta area called Bar Starmoon," said Ade Ary in his statement, Friday (8/8).

After starting work as a song guide, it turned out that the victim was also asked to serve several men to have sex with a pay fee of Rp. 175 thousand Rp. 225 thousand.

"Then SHM's parents made a report to the police after finding out that their child was pregnant five months after working at the bar," said Ade Ary.

Based on the report, the police managed to secure 10 people who knew about the incident on Monday (28/7).

Ade Ary explained that the 10 people, namely TY and RH, act as collectors; VFO acts as intermediaries and recruitment; FW, EH, NR acts as marketing or commonly called mami; SS acts as an account for Bar Starmoon; OJN as the owner of Bar Starmoon; HAR acts as a dropper for the victim's child; and RH as the recruiter of the victim's child.

"There are still two more suspects, namely Z, who played a role in recruiting the victim's child and FS played a role in picking up the victim's child, both of whom were DPO status," he said.

Meanwhile, the evidence that was successfully secured were the Family Card, SD diploma and the certificate of birth in the name of SHH, the elementary school diploma of the victim SHM, the results of the post mortem et repertum of the Police Hospital, photocopies of fake ID cards of the victim's child, cellphones of the victim's child, absent LC books, and expenditure data.

The suspects were charged with Article 76D in conjunction with Article 81 and/or Article 76E in conjunction with Article 82 and/or Article 76I in conjunction with Article 88 of Law Number 35 of 2014 concerning Amendments to Law Number 23 of 2002 concerning Child Protection.

Then Article 12 and/or Article 13 of Law Number 12 of 2022 concerning the Crime of Sexual Violence (TPKS) and Article 2 of Law Number 21 of 2007 concerning the Crime of Trafficking in Persons.

"With a maximum penalty of IDR 5 billion and a maximum imprisonment of 15 years," said Ade Ary.