In the wake of a child trafficking and prostitution case in South Jakarta, the Indonesian Child Protection Commission (KPAI) has spoken out about the dangers street children face every day.

The KPAI said the case showed how susceptible street children are to trafficking and prostitution.

“In the past, child trafficking and prostitution cases mostly involved children working at tourist sites and entertainment centers.

“These underage sexual workers didn’t come from the streets,” Ai Maryati Sholihah, KPAI’s commissioner for trafficking and exploitation, told the media on Wednesday.

“In the latest case, we found that customers were interested in street children and had intentionally booked them for sexual purposes.

“The foreign customer could also be related to a larger foreign pedophile network,” she added, stating that the police are now investigating foreign pedophiles targeting street children.

The South Jakarta Police recently arrested a 49-year-old Japanese man, identified only as AA, for allegedly sexually abusing underage children.

AA, a chef at a restaurant in Jakarta, allegedly hired two street children, identified only as CH, 11, and J, 12, who used to sell tissues at a traffic light near Blok M shopping center in South Jakarta.

AA is suspected of hiring the street children through an alleged pimp, identified as D, 17, who allegedly recruited them as sex workers by offering them money.

D allegedly approached them online and on the streets.

The alleged pimp received Rp 1,400,000 (about US$100), and gave Rp 200,000 each to CH and J.

D was detained by the South Jakarta Police last Friday.

Nunung Suparmi, a police investigator and head of the police’s Women and Children Protection Unit, said AA had allegedly sexually abused five children, including the alleged pimp, at four hotels and a guest house in Jakarta.

“AA had booked the street children five times in the last two or three months,” Nunung said, adding that the police are investigating the possibility that a street child prostitution syndicate may be operating in Jakarta.

Susianah Affandy, KPAI’s commissioner on social issues and children in emergency affairs, said the latest child prostitution case was worrying because the perpetrator had allegedly exploited the children’s economic status.

“They [street children] were willing to perform the practice just to get money to buy snacks and clothes.

“These children had dropped out of school at a young age and they haven’t received proper parental care.

“They are vulnerable people who need protection,” Susianah said on Wednesday.

“KPAI will ensure the protection and rights of the child victims in this case. We will ensure that the victims get proper treatment in a safe house.

“We also encourage related agencies such as the Jakarta Social Agency to optimize their role in preventing any forms of exploitation and crime toward street children,” she added.

According to Social Ministry data, there are 7,600 street children in Jakarta. KPAI said all street children were prone to such prostitution practices.

In 2017, it recorded 293 cases of trafficking and exploitation involving children in Indonesia, with 92 of them being prostitution cases.

Meanwhile, advocacy group End Child Prostitution, Child Pornography and the Trafficking of Children for Sexual Purposes (ECPAT) estimated that there were 80,000 underage sex workers in Indonesia in 2017, of which 30 percent were from Jakarta. (roi)

Popular

To my horror, it’s just a movie!

RI, Australia strengthen partnership on taxing crypto assets

Pentagon chief congratulates Prabowo on being elected President