Child protection drive launched

Sari P. Setiogi, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

To stem the growing number of children involved in the sex industry, the government is preparing a nationwide campaign.

A pilot project will be launched at tourism sites, campaigning through posters, stickers and banners, Seto Mulyadi of the National Commission for Children's Protection (Komnas PA) told a seminar recently.

"The pilot project will start in Bali and Batam, as both have now become potential markets for child prostitution among tourism destinations in the country," said Seto. "But soon it will spread to other areas."

The pilot project will also cooperate with the tourism industry -- including hotels, travel agents and restaurants -- and will also involve a community awareness campaign.

The number of children being exposed to sexual exploitation in tourism is increasing exponentially. However, it is hard to determine an accurate figure of how many children have been affected, as it is an illegal business.

Another speaker at the seminar, Maria Hartiningsih of Kompas daily, said that the number of children involved in the illicit business increased by 50 percent after the 1997 economic crisis.

"About 30 percent of the female prostitutes in the country are under 18 years of age," she said.

Several causes are behind the increasing number of child prostitutes in Indonesia, she said, citing the high number of children who drop out from school and the temptation to go into the business as their families need money.

"We also know that in some regions, marriage at a very young age is part of the culture and hence, they are prone to producing very young divorcees," she said. "Those young widows are widely welcomed by the industry."

For example, on Batam island near Singapore, she said, almost every hotel is involved in the business.

"Young girls made-up and using sensual body language, sitting on old men's laps, is a common scene," Maria said, referring to pedophilia.

She said it was time to stop the posturing, the politicking and the endless debating on pedophilia to avoid a case such as that of the young pedophile victim in the Philippines.

Minister for Culture and Tourism I Gede Ardika said that Indonesia aimed to build an image of tourism that was free of the sex industry.

"We do not want sexual tourism to grow in the country, particularly the child sex industry," he said. "We should make sure that children are protected from such practices."