From January To September, KPAI Recorded 5,206 Violence Against Children

ILLUSTRATION

JAKARTA - The Indonesian Child Protection Commission (KPAI) noted that during January - September 2021, 5,206 reports of cases of violence against children were reported in person or online.

The three most reported cases of Fulfillment of Children's Rights and Child Special Protection cases related to family clusters and alternative care were 1,954 cases.

"The details are cases of children who are victims of the fulfillment of their right to a living, children who are victims of problematic caregiving, children who are victims of child custody struggles, children who are victims of restrictions on access to meet their parents and others," said the Head of the Supervision, Monitoring and Evaluation Division of KPAI, Jasra Putra to VOI, Thursday 18 November.

Furthermore, Jasra said, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic for 2 years tends to increase violence against children. In addition, there is an increase in the problem of fulfilling and protecting children, both the right to support and problematic caregivers.

"During the pandemic, there were 955 cases of child victims of physical and/or psychological violence and 672 cases of child victims of sexual crimes," he said.

Jasra appealed to parents to always pay attention to changes in the behavior and physical appearance of their children. Children who experience sexual violence, he continued, will experience physical and behavioral changes such as experiencing pain or itching in the genital area, experiencing bleeding or injury, contracting sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), pregnancy and others.

Children who experience changes in behavior will become aggressive or withdrawn, fear being abandoned by certain people, have nightmares, skip school if the child is already in school, injure themselves and even attempt suicide and others.

"In addition to the role of parents, RT and RW officers must also care about the environment and build an integrated child protection system. Child protection in this pandemic situation is more revived," he said.

The latest cases of sexual violence against children occurred in two areas, namely Jagakarsa and Pancoran Buntu areas. Incidents of sexual abuse against 15 underage boys occurred on Jalan Camat Gabun 1, Jagakarsa, South Jakarta. The perpetrator with the initials F was caught by the residents.

Profession F is a course teacher and a master's degree graduate. However, F's actions have the heart to commit acts of sexual abuse against 15 underage boys.

Meanwhile, the perpetrators with the initials AT (70) and JM (45) were found to have committed acts of obscenity and rape of 7 underage girls. AT and JM are neighbors, both are fellow child predators.

Both of them carried out sexual crimes against children in the vicinity of their residence, on Jalan Pancoran Buntu, South Jakarta.