Because, as long as we do not report, cases will continue to occur.
Bogor, West Java (ANTARA) - Women's Empowerment and Child Protection Minister Bintang Puspayoga has asked authorities handling women and children's affairs in regions to promote the "Dare to Speak Up" campaign to encourage the reporting of violence.

"Because, as long as we do not report, cases will continue to occur," she said at a coordination meeting on women's empowerment and child protection in Bogor, West Java, on Thursday.

According to her, gathering the courage to speak up and reveal the violence will ensure justice for the victim and have a deterrent effect.

Violence is like an iceberg phenomenon, she highlighted. The prevalence of violence was very high earlier, but has now decreased, as per data. The prevalence of violence against women fell to 26.1 percent in 2021 compared to 33.4 percent in 2016.

The prevalence of violence against children also declined in 2021 to 34 percent in boys and 41.05 percent in girls from 62 percent in 2018 for both boys and girls.

"What we should be grateful for is that what increased is the revealed cases," the minister said.

There has been an increase in the number of reported cases because of a shift in people's perspective about violence, she observed. Being at the receiving end of violence is no longer seen as a shameful fact that must be hidden, but considered to be something that needs to be reported to the authorities.

"This is essential. Because if (we) do not have the courage to report (violence), (which often stems from unequal) power relations, cases will happen again. They will continue to happen," she said.

She further said that cases of violence have continued to recur due to the community and families' lack of courage to come forward and report them.

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Translator: Anita Permata, Raka Adji
Editor: Sri Haryati
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