Let’s Protect Our Children From Sexual Abuse!

Cases of sexual abuse have been increasing in Indonesia, even perpetrators can come from their own families, which should be a stronghold to protect children. As happened in West Nusa Tenggara on May 31 2022, the Mataram City Police revealed that they arrested a father with the initials AD (42) who allegedly had intercourse with his stepson who was still in elementary school. According to the Secretary of the KB-PP Office of Pasuruan Regency, Mahmudah Nur Qomariyah, there were 16 cases of sexual harassment involving adults, while the victims were aged between 7-17 years on average.

The rise of cases of sexual harassment has also occurred in well-known private schools in Jakarta. This news shocked many related parties and the wider community. Not only in Jakarta, cases of sexual abuse of children also occurred in several other areas, one of which is Sukabumi. In the case in Sukabumi, the perpetrator was a 24-year-old pedophile, the number of victims reached 55 children. Even the most barbaric, 33 of the victims experienced very worrying conditions both physically and psychologically.

We cannot ignore the data and facts above regarding the dangers of sexual harassment that might happen to our children. The psychological trauma experienced by victims of sexual abuse, especially in children, is not easy to heal. It takes a long time and therapy so that children who are victims of sexual abuse can resume their activities and get on with their lives. For this reason, as parents it is very necessary for us to carry out preventive measures and sex education for our children to form natural protection and vigilance for our children when one day there are signs of danger that must be avoided immediately.

Parents have a very important role in providing teaching and education to their children, in this case, by providing sex education from an early age. By giving sex education from an early age, children will understand boundaries and who are the people who have the right and who do not have the right to see and touch their bodies. Provide understanding and education to children that they must have the courage to say no to anyone, including parents, to see and touch their bodies. Sex education in question is to teach girls how to be able to protect their bodies and the limits of their private parts. Apart from that, it also teaches boys how to respect women's bodies and rights as well as protect their bodies and rights over their own bodies.

What is needed when giving sex education to children begins with introducing and calling the body parts including intimate organs by their real names. Teach also that the sexes of men and women are very different. In addition, train children to understand which body parts can be touched and which body parts are private areas that cannot be touched or seen. Also instill a culture of shame in children, for example not undressing in open areas. From a young age, fathers and mothers also have to get used to children changing clothes in closed areas when on vacation or in a crowd. This sex education must be conveyed in language and delivery that is easy to understand and in accordance with the comprehension of our children. Finally, be a fun and safe discussion partner for our children, so that they are used to it and are free to tell whatever happens to them.

Not only for parents, society must also play an active role in protecting children from harassment, violence and sexual crimes. As a member of society, never ignore stories and complaints from children about what happened to them. As members of society and also as members of the family, we need to take part in supervising the children in our environment, provide a simple understanding of what other people should and should not do to them, provide love and support so that our children become healthy individuals. open and always tell anything, good or bad. So that when something bad happens to them we can immediately find out and follow up on it.

In particular, Indonesia also has its own law regarding the protection of children, namely Law Number 23 of 2004 concerning Child Protection. Articles 81 and 82 of the Child Protection Act stipulate that perpetrators of sexual abuse against children are subject to a maximum prison sentence of 15 years. Although of course, this is still not balanced with what children experience as victims of sexual abuse, we still hope to create a safe and comfortable environment for the growth and development of our children as the successors of this nation.

From: Mezia Dewi Pratiwi, S.Pd form BehaviorPals Center

Bibliography

https://lk2fhui.law.ui.ac.id/pelecehan-sexual-terhadap-anak-di-under-umur/

https://kumparan.com/ ivan-audy's footsteps/the rise of-sexual-violence-to-women-and-children-1zLeirShfW9/2

https://id.theasianparent.com/anti-kekerasan-sexual