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s cases of violence against women and children in Greater Jakarta have increased over time, the Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection Ministry has called on all city agencies to strengthen coordination and facilitate the victims.

Deputy minister Luly Altruiswati said on Monday that the lack of coordination among the ministry’s crisis centers for women and children (P2TP2As) in Jakarta, Bekasi, Tangerang, Depok and Bogor had resulted in slow responses to the cases.

Each city hosts and manages a crisis center, which not only receives public reports on violence against women and children but also provides a safe house, counseling and legal aid for the victims.

“Coordination among the crisis centers is weak. The crisis center in Jakarta is often overwhelmed with cases while centers in other cities, where the victims handled by Jakarta actually reside or live near, handle fewer cases,” Luly said.

From 2006 to 2011, the crisis centers handled 7,312 cases of violence against women and children in Greater Jakarta. More than 70 percent of the cases were handled in Jakarta while the Bekasi, Tangerang, Depok and Bogor centers handled the rest.

In 2011 alone, the crisis centers received 1,381 reports, up from 935 in 2010. As of April this year, the crisis centers have handled 333 cases, of which more than 60 percent were linked to domestic violence.

The increase in the number of cases reported, according to Luly, could also be considered good if it meant that victims had started to be more open in talking about their cases.

“Their courage to report cases should be supported by all relevant agencies, including the police, non-governmental organizations and the crisis centers.

“The ministry will strive to ensure that all reports are handled properly,” Luly said.

Mitra Perempuan, another women’ crisis center, has reported that it assisted 209 victims of violence in Greater Jakarta last year. More than 60 percent of the counseling and assistance was conducted by its office in Jakarta, while its offices in Tangerang and Bogor handled the remaining 40 percent.

In the same year, the center also received 1,403 telephone calls from women seeking information and
advice.

Luly said that P2TP2As and other women’s crisis centers in Greater Jakarta might have to work harder because the regions faced multiple forms of violence against women and children. “What we face in Greater Jakarta is not only domestic violence but also rampant trafficking and sexual assault,” she said.

The P2TP2A recorded 359 cases of child trafficking between 2010 and 2011, with 338 of the victims coming from outside Jakarta.

“Jakarta is a main transit place. Trafficked children are gathered here before being sold in other cities, or they stay in Jakarta and are forced to work as beggars,” she said.

According to the P2TP2A, areas used to house trafficked children include Mangga Besar, Rawa Bebek, Blok M and Ciracas.