JAKARTA - Teaching sexual education to young children is often a challenge for parents and educators. In the midst of the "taboo" stigma that is still attached, a student at the University of Surabaya (Ubaya) came up with a genius and interactive solution through a doll named Sentasi.
Sentasi, which is an acronym for Safe Touch and Unsafe Early Education, was created by Amelia Margaretha Suprapto in response to the high number of sexual violence against children in Indonesia. Through this medium, children are invited to recognize the limits of their bodies in a way that is far from being scary: through play.
Getting to know Luca and Luna: Bodyguard Little Teachers
Sentasi is present in two characters that are familiar to children, namely Luca (male) and Luna (female). Not just ordinary dolls, both are designed to be a simulation tool for body safety for children aged 3 to 6 years.
Sentasi's main advantage lies in its technology. This doll is equipped with touch sensors in private areas that are prohibited from being touched by others, namely:
FaceDadaSex OrgansAssWhen these sensitive areas are touched, the doll will respond with a firm warning voice: "Don't touch!". This voice response aims to train children's instincts to dare to say "no" and seek help if someone else tries to violate their body boundaries.
More than Just Touch: Understanding Emotions
Effective sexual education is not only about physical, but also about feelings. Amelia understands this by adding a magnetic facial expression feature to Sentasi.
Children can change Luca and Luna's faces into happy, sad, or angry expressions. This feature is crucial to help children communicate their feelings when experiencing certain physical interactions. In addition, the doll comes with removable clothes, making it easier for adults to explain situations where body areas should be covered or when it's time to maintain privacy.
"Sexual education is very important to be given from an early age as an effort to prevent and protect children. The sensation makes it easier for adults to convey material that is considered heavy to something fun," said Amel as quoted by ANTARA.
Breaking the Chain of Violence through Literacy
Data from the Ministry of Empowerment of Women and Child Protection (KemenPPPA) shows the bitter reality that children are still the group with the most sexual violence victims. The lack of literacy regarding body safety at home and school is one of the gaps that Sentasi wants to close.
The process of creating Sentasi is not trivial. Amel spent a year conducting in-depth research, from interviewing child psychologists, kindergarten teachers, to parents to ensure that this media is accurate in terms of education but still friendly for children's psyches.
One of the parents, Bunga Lia, welcomed this innovation. According to him, education through play is much more effective because children are easier to absorb information without feeling pressured.
Small Steps Towards Self-Protection
With Sentasi, children are no longer just passive subjects, but they are equipped with the "weapon" of knowledge to protect themselves. Sexual education is no longer about scary adult things, but about building children's confidence in their own body sovereignty.
The English, Chinese, Japanese, Arabic, and French versions are automatically generated by the AI. So there may still be inaccuracies in translating, please always see Indonesian as our main language. (system supported by DigitalSiber.id)
