Yogyakarta Provincial Government Will Form Female Schools For Violence Survivors

Illustration. (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - The Yogyakarta City Department of Women's Empowerment for Child Protection and Population Control and Family Planning (DP3AP2KB) formed the Yogyakarta City Women's School or "Koper Kota" to increase the capacity and empower women who survived violence.

"The 'City Cooper' is here to improve the quality and empowerment of vulnerable women, especially violent survivors," said Head of the Women's Empowerment and Protection Division of the Yogyakarta City DP3AP2KB, Ria Rinawati in an official statement in Yogyakarta, quoted from Antara, Saturday, May 18.

Based on DP3AP2 DIY records in 2023, Ria said the number of cases of violence in DIY was still high with 248 cases.

"However, this is like an iceberg phenomenon where the number of cases that arise to the surface or are reported to be smaller than cases of violence that occur in the community, so that victims are not reached to get the right treatment," he said.

Therefore, through the Yogyakarta City Women's School or "Koper Kota" which was officially launched on Friday, May 17, she hopes to become a safe place for women to be vulnerable to increasing their self-capacity and knowledge needed, including knowledge related to their rights so as not to become victims of violence again.

"Improving the confidence of female survivors to dare to show their potential and dare to make decisions for their lives. Also improve skills so that women who survivors of violence have provisions to be economically independent," said Ria.

In May 2024 the City's Suitcase has targeted two groups of violent survivors with approximately 25 members with activities ranging from mentoring, increasing knowledge and insight, as well as improving skills and support groups.

Acting Mayor of Yogyakarta Singgih Raharjo appreciated the City Suitcase program as an extraordinary innovation in providing concrete actions for mutual concern for women who survivors of violence.

Singgih hopes that the school can become a forum for educating, motivating and mitigating potential violence that can befall women.

"Because in each class there is also psychological assistance, which of course can help survivors recover from the trauma they experienced," he said.

Singgih hopes that in its implementation it can become a safe and calm space for survivors, then be able to keep them from being exposed, focusing on assisting, increasing capacity and empowering survivors.

Septiyani, Chairman of the Special Women's Group or Perisai hopes that the school can provide moral support for women survivors so as not to give up on what has been experienced.

"You can continue to live so that you are better, independent and slowly able to unravel the trauma you experienced. Because what survivors have experienced is difficult, which not only has an impact on psychological conditions, but also socio-economic conditions," said Septiyani.