TheJakartaPost
Please Update your browser
Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below.
Just click on the icons to get to the download page.
Jakarta worst for child abuse in neighorhood, research says
Safe and happy: UNICEF Indonesia encourages all Indonesians to visit its anti-child abuse campaign website, www
Change text size
Gift Premium Articles
to Anyone
Share the best of The Jakarta Post with friends, family, or colleagues. As a subscriber, you can gift 3 to 5 articles each month that anyone can read—no subscription needed!
S
span class="caption" style="width: 598px;">Safe and happy: UNICEF Indonesia encourages all Indonesians to visit its anti-child abuse campaign website, www.pelindunganak.org, after its launch on Nov. 20. Visitors can sign up as Child Protectors and commit themselves to assisting their local communities to prevent violence against children. (Courtesy of UNICEF Indonesia)
A survey conducted in Greater Jakarta, a territory covering Jakarta, Bogor, Depok, Tangerang and Bekasi, indicates that Jakarta had the highest number of child abuse cases in 2015 with a total of 667.
The National Commission for Child Protection (Komnas PA) compiled data based on both direct and indirect reports they received this year.
'Fifty-nine-point-three percent were sexual abuse cases,' said Komnas PA Secretary General Samsul Ridwan during a press conference to announce the year-end statistics in Jakarta on Tuesday, as quoted by Antara news agency.
Komnas PA chairman Arist Merdeka Sirait said that East Jakarta saw the highest number of violations of children's rights with reports of 239 cases, more than one-third of what was found in the whole city, followed by North and West Jakarta.
According to the Komnas PA data and its information center, 62 percent of the abuses took place in the children's immediate environment, such as when they were with family or at school, while the rest of the cases happened in public spaces such as shopping centers and playgrounds.
Komnas PA recorded a total of 2,898 cases in Greater Jakarta in 2015, the highest number in the last five years. The satellite cities of Bekasi, Depok and Tangerang ranked second, third and fourth respectively.
Last year the commission's records stated there were 2,737 cases, 52 percent of which were sexual abuse, said Samsul.
Komnas PA data shows a constantly increasing number of cases in the past five years: 2,046 reports were filed in 2010, 42 percent of which were sexual abuse, 2,467 cases in 2011 with 52 percent sexual abuse, 2,637 cases in 2012 with 62 percent sexual abuse and 2,676 cases in 2013 with 54 percent sexual abuse.
On a national scale, a total of 21,689,987 million cases were recorded in Indonesia across 33 provinces and 202 regencies in the past five years. Up to 58 percent were cases of sexual abuse.
According to Komnas PA commissioner Elizabeth Santosa, one of the contributing factors that is triggering the continuous rise are damaged families that allow children to become victims of abuse. For example, she added, when a wife is mistreated by her husband that will in turn have an effect on their children.
'The integrity of the family must be protected by all its members, especially by the parents. The children are most vulnerable,' said Elizabeth, who is a child and family psychologist.
She also expressed regret that child abuse cases have still not become a serious societal concern, adding that these cases are usually mentioned in the media but quickly disappear without any further probing. She appealed for increased awareness by the public so that any violations of a child's rights will be immediately reported. (liz/bbn)(+)
