Kid lament rampant violence against them

Hera Diani, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Some say a slap or two won't hurt, while others say that even the slightest smack will do psychological harm.

Let's hear from children about what violence against them really means.

"Anything adults do forcefully that affects children's hearts and feelings," said Anas, from Maluku.

Meanwhile, Didi from Nusa Tenggara Timur said that when parents quarreled, it was a form of "psychological violence against children."

These statements by children are set out in the book Violence Against Children In the Eyes of Indonesian Children launched by the Office of the State Minister of Women's Empowerment on Wednesday.

Based on a survey of around 600 children in 18 provinces, carried out from January through July this year, the book reveals that Indonesian children have nowhere to hide as violence against them is rampant everywhere.

Be it at home, school, on the street or in places such as orphanages, detention centers, and so on, children continue to be at the receiving end of physical, sexual and psychological abuse, as well as physical exploitation to get income.

"In a religious gathering, while the teungku (cleric) talked, my friend was talking with another friend next to him. The teungku then threw a big chunk of wood at him. It hit his ear and it started bleeding," said Kiki from Aceh province.

There are bitter tales of children who were raped, forced into prostitution or married off at an early age. There is also various forms of cultural violence, such as that which costs children in Papua a finger if a relative dies.

All these abuses are shown by drawings of a child's body in the book, which illustrates the types of abuses perpetrated on each part of the body, complete with the implements used, such as hot cloths irons, sticks, fire, and so on.

State Minister for Women's Empowerment Meutia Farida Hatta Swasono said that the prevalence and types of violence were found right across the board regardless of socioeconomic class or educational background. However, poor parents usually relied more on their children to relieve their burdens.

"These acts of violence reflect our failure to care for children. Children are still perceived as the property of their parents, and people accept that parents can treat their children as they see fit," said Meutia, who edited the book.

Child abuse is linked to cultural values as a necessary part of teaching a child discipline and obedience. However, in reality any form of abuse can hamper a child's growth and development, cause death, affect health, or reduce the ability to learn and even willingness to go to school.

It leads to children running away from home, exposing them to further abuse. Abuse also destroys children's self confidence and can undermine their ability to become good parents in the future.

"While the Child Protection Law is on the statute books, it is not being applied effectively. Child abuse is still conceived a domestic affair. In reality, under the law people who see violence against children can file a complaint," Meutia said.

"This book serves as a guide and provides information to local governments and organizations to improve the participation of children, to prevent violence against children, and to help those children who have been abused."