…the government, together with law enforcement, should consider new intervention efforts, beyond criminal sanctions for perpetrators.
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Deputy Chairperson of Commission III of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR RI) Ahmad Sahroni has advised the government to replicate the program implemented by the United States to deal with cases of violence against children. According to him, the number of cases of child abuse in Indonesia is relatively high. Based on reports, thousands of such cases were recorded in 2023.

"Due to the increasing trend (of violence against children), the government, together with law enforcement, should consider new intervention efforts, beyond criminal sanctions for perpetrators," he stressed in a statement released by his office on Thursday.

One of the interventions is to cut off perpetrators' access to victims by imposing a ban on their communicating or meeting with victims, he said.

"This method has been carried out in the United States with the Child Protective Services (CPS)," he highlighted.

According to Sahroni, this could protect children from family members who commit violence. A guardian would also be assigned to the victim to provide them with a sense of security.

"The perpetrator can also be completely restricted from meeting the victims. It is not merely criminal sanction but also keeping the child away from the trauma," he explained.

Sahroni said that the program could provide a deterrent effect. Through CPS, children in the United States get access to healing services, trauma healing, and reintegration programs.

"The country should thoroughly regulate this matter because children are the future of this nation. We cannot have a future generation filled with fear, trauma, and unstable mentality," he added.

Of late, a video showing a 10-year-old student being abused in Bulukumba, South Sulawesi, has been circulating on social media.

Sahroni also shared the video on his official Instagram account, requesting a response from National Police Chief General Listyo Sigit Prabowo.

The victim in the video was reportedly abused by her uncle, FR, for allegedly stealing her grandmother's money often. The local police replied to Sahroni's post, stating that the perpetrator has been arrested and named a suspect in the case.

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Translator: Bagus Ahmad R, Resinta Sulistiyandari
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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