Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Women's Empowerment and Child Protection Ministry lauded the initiatives from various parties that hold trainings and impart education to prevent sexual violence.

During the Anti-Sexual Violence Training for the online driver partner online press conference, on Thursday, People's Participation Acting Deputy at the Ministry, Indra Gunawan, remarked that these trainings can reduce the number of cases of violence.

These trainings can assist by providing knowledge on the definition of sexual violence and how to accurately respond when one is a witness of sexual violence.

Survey on Sexual Harassment in Public Space during the COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia by the Safe Public Space Coalition (KRPA) found that 78.89 percent of women experienced sexual harassment in the public space.

Moreover, more than half of them occurred on public streets or in parks.

Meanwhile, the National Women Life Experience Survey (SPHPN) found that one out of four women in the age of 15-64 years once experienced a form of violence, whether physically, mentally, or sexually.

"This is a large figure and should be our collective concern," Gunawan remarked.

Meanwhile, it was recorded that in more than 25 thousand violence cases reported through the Women and Children Protection Online Information System (SIMFONI PPA), more than 21 thousand victims were women.

This phenomenon is akin to an iceberg wherein there is a high possibility that other cases are not reported to the authorities.

"This should also be our collective concern," he affirmed.

Violence can occur anywhere to anyone, both women and men. Hence, the government continues to coordinate with various parties to reduce the rate of violence against women and children.

South Sulawesi Legal Aid Foundation of the Indonesian Women's Association for Justice (LBH APIK) Rosmiati Sain stated that collaboration with several parties is important to prevent sexual violence among members of the public.

Prevention in the forms of dissemination and campaigning for the people is an effort to supress the rate of sexual violence cases that still occur in Indonesia.
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Translator: Nanien Yuniar, Fadhli Ruhman
Editor: Suharto
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