Crew Reproduction Health: Why Children With Special Needs Vulnerable Violence?

JAKARTA The Coordinator of the Jakarta State University Special Education Study Program (UNJ), Indra Jaya, highlighted the number of children with special needs (ABK) who are vulnerable to being victims of violence and sexual harassment due to lack of knowledge about the body and self-protection.

"Adults alone can become victims of violence, especially children with special needs. Therefore, education about self-protection must be included in the curriculum," said Indra as quoted from the UNJ official website, Friday, October 17.

The statement was delivered in a general stage with the theme Health Reproduction of Children with Special Needs: Guided Physical Growth During The Pubertas Period with Inclusive Education' held by the UNJ FIP Special Education Program in collaboration with the Indonesian Orthopedagometric Professional Association (APOI), Thursday (16/10) at the Maftuchah Yusuf Hall, UNJ Campus.

This activity presents two main resource persons, Prof. Sujarwanto, Chair of APOI as well as Professor of the Surabaya State University, and Prof. Endang Rochyadi, Professor of the University of Indonesian Education (UPI). Both emphasized the importance of reproductive education for crew members so that they understand body change, know boundaries, and are able to protect themselves from harassment.

The chairman of the committee, Hartini Nara, assessed that reproductive health education for crew members is still often ignored. They are the biological children of this republic. Their basic rights, including understanding empathy and reproductive health, must be fulfilled. Teachers and parents also need to understand this," he said.

The Dean of FIP UNJ, Aip Badrujaman, added that ABK faces a double challenge in understanding physical changes and exploitation risks. The lack of knowledge about reproductive health in crew members, especially teenagers and children autistic, puts them in a vulnerable position to harassment," he said. He stressed the need for a safe, ethical, and adaptable learning media to the character of each child.

According to Aip, this activity is not just an academic forum, but a tangible form of implementation of Law Number 8 of 2016 concerning Persons with Disabilities who guarantee the right to reproductive health and protection from violence and discrimination. This is not just adding insight, but carrying out the constitutional mandate," he said.

The event was officially opened by the Deputy Dean for Academics and Student Affairs of FIP UNJ, Karta Sasmita. He emphasized that the issue of inclusiveness and reproductive health of children with special needs is now a global concern. "Inclusivity is not just a matter of disability, but about creating an environment that supports all individuals. Inclusive education demands creativity and empathy," he said.