Flooded With Women's Reports Many Experiencing Depression, Veronica Tan Reveals The Cause

Deputy Minister of Women's Empowerment and Child Protection (PPPA) Indonesia, Veronica Tan (VOI/Adelia)

JAKARTA - Deputy Minister of Women's Empowerment and Child Protection (PPPA) Indonesia, Veronica Tan revealed that women are more vulnerable to experiencing stress and depression than men.

Since being officially inaugurated in the Red and White Cabinet on Monday, October 21, the ex-wife of former DKI Jakarta Governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama or Ahok admitted that she had received reports of cases experienced by women.

"I was only at the Ministry. Of course, there were a lot of sexual harassment, domestic violence. Actually, violence was covered closest, because it was not educated, maybe early marriage too," said Veronica Tan, when met at the Kota Tua Post Office, Jakarta on Thursday, November 14, 2024.

"Continue to have children is a burden, their economy is lacking. In the end, it becomes a commotion, it cannot be denied that it happened. After I was at the Ministry there were many cases from women," he continued.

In addition to family problems, women's factors are depressed due to sexual harassment in public transportation. Until finally, now women have the courage to speak up and share their suffering through social media.

"Cases of divorce, child custody, not to mention sexual harassment on buses, on trains. Women are brave because they are depressed, they usually use the TikTok platform. But there are still many cases of women who have not been exposed," he explained.

In addition, women also often echo'mental health' or mental health on social media, because they experience bullying. According to him, this should get the attention of the Ministry of Health.

"People's personalities are different. Some people are pendam, introvert, extovert, bullying can make people introverted. They will run in the room, don't dare to say anything, just stay silent, it makes mental health," he explained.

Veronica said that the way to solve it is promotive and preventive. This is a term in the health sector that refers to efforts to improve health and prevent disease.

"How to break up with promotive and preventive. We have collaborated with TikTok and NGOs who help, everything must be legal," he said.

"That is the Ministry of PPPA trying to find a legal umbrella, law, to try to reduce depression, mental, and suicide numbers," he continued.