Pariaman, West Sumatra (ANTARA) - Women's Empowerment and Child Protection Minister I Gusti Ayu Bintang Darmawati has urged the community to report cases of violence against women and children to the police or relevant parties.

"(If there is no report) we cannot provide justice and protection to the victim and give a deterrent effect to the perpetrator," she said after the launch of women and children-friendly villages here on Wednesday.

According to her, the rise of issues of violence against women and children in the mass media and social media lately has occurred because victims and the community have started to become aware and are gathering the courage to report acts of violence.

She said that the reports show that people already believe that cases of violence are not a disgrace that should be hidden, and if they remain unreported, those acts of violence will happen again.

The minister highlighted that given the reports, the government can provide protection to victims of violence and prevent perpetrators from more actions that can harm women and children.

"(We) have to have the courage to speak up to give justice to the victims," she underscored.

The minister lauded Pariaman city's commitment as a women and children-friendly city and its women and children-friendly villages.

Mayor of Pariaman Genius Umar said that the government is continuously making efforts to suppress the occurrence of violence against women and children in the city through several programs.

"Cases of violence in Pariaman this year are 50 cases, which were mostly caused by problems related to the economy and the awareness of the head of the family. For this reason, we are providing premarital education," he explained.

He expressed the hope that programs and assistance provided by the central government, as well as the efforts that have been made so far, would be able to suppress the occurrence of violence against women and children in the city.


Related news: Women human rights activists often target of cyberviolence: commission
Related news: Komnas HAM pursues better protection for women human rights defenders
Related news: Police urged to conduct gender-based sorting of murder cases






Translator: Altas Maulana, Raka Adji
Editor: Azis Kurmala
Copyright © ANTARA 2022