Active Community Roles Are Needed To Prevent Domestic Violence

Reflection on residents seeing the condition of the rented house where four children were killed in Jagakarsa, South Jakarta, Thursday (7/12/2023). (Antara/Yulius Satria Wijaya/nz)

JAKARTA - Lecturer at the Faculty of Psychology, University of Indonesia Mellia Christia, M.Si., M.Phil., said the public needed to help victims as soon as they found indications of domestic violence (KDRT).

"The way to overcome this so that it does not develop more is with the strong participation of the community to help solve problems or break the chain of violence that occurs in the household," Mellia said via text message to Antara, Saturday (9/12/2023).

He explained that so far there has been an understanding in society that the commotion between pairs in the household is a natural thing and it is not appropriate for people to interfere in other people's household affairs. Such an assumption can make domestic violence continue.

Such an opinion also made the case of domestic violence revealed. Another reason, said Mellia, is the tendency for victims not to report because there is a stigma that their household is not harmonious in the event of domestic violence in it.

Mellia saw that there was also a tendency for people to blame victims, and victims were treated inappropriately and distrusted when admitting that they had domestic violence.

To break the chain, the public needs to realize that understanding that violence is normal is not the right view. Likewise, it is not permissible to interfere in other people's household affairs when there is violence.

"Actually, when something happens in our environment, when it is life-threatening, endangering yourself or others, at that time there must be action taken by the community," said Mellia.

Acting when finding signs of domestic violence also shows public concern and the desire to help people and solve existing problems. Mellia added that the public can invite other people in its initiative, such as by inviting the authorities, community leaders, as well as the heads of RT and RW so that there are no acts of taking justice by themselves.

In addition, the public can also pay attention to the signs of violence that occurs in a household.

"For example, how do they interact, how do they socialize in society, how are the patterns of life that occur," Mellia explained.

Someone can also ask about the news, then if something unusual happens, it can be explored further before the problem becomes more complex. Thus, said Mellia, both the perpetrator and the victim were noticed, and it is hoped that violence can be prevented because there is a feeling of reluctance that arises from the feeling that their actions can be known.