WEST JAVA: Chairperson of the National Commission for Child Protection (Komnas PA), Arist Merdeka Sirait, has highlighted the need for curbing sexual violence against children in order to protect their future.
During an event held to mark the 2022 National Children’s Day here on Friday, he said that nationally, sexual violence constitutes 52-58 per cent of cases of violations involving children.
To this day, most of the perpetrators of crimes against children, specifically sexual violence, are close acquaintances of the children, such as biological fathers, stepfathers, uncles, grandfathers, and even teachers.
Therefore, collective awareness to protect children as the nation’s successors is necessary.
Hence, at the commemoration of National Children’s Day, he urged all parties to help curb the violence rate, which has remained high.
Sirait said he expects the government, both central and regional, to not hide children’s issues. He asked everyone to help break the chain of violence against children.
Meanwhile, Cirebon district head Imron invited people to fight violence against children since the victims of violence carry a scar that lasts even into adulthood.
“Children are our successors. If children are created with good environment, culture, and education, in the future, they will be able to lead,” he remarked.
Earlier, the Ministry of Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection and the National Police Commission (Kompolnas) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on legal protection and fulfilment of rights of women and child victims of violence.
The MoU is very important and relevant to the issue of violence against women and children in society, Minister of Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection, Bintang Puspayoga, said in a statement issued on Thursday.
The MoU is important, especially since the ratification of Law No. 12 of 2022 on the Sexual Violence Criminal Act necessitates special mechanisms for handling cases of violence, she added.
