Legislator concerned over violence against women
Legislator concerned over violence against women
JAKARTA (JP): Violence against women and abuse of children are
becoming national issues that need prompt action, a senior
legislator said yesterday.
Nafsiah Mboi, a member of House Commission VIII for social
welfare, acknowledged that development has brought prosperity but
women and children remain subjected to violence and abuse.
"Economic development has raised children's participation in
education and lowered maternal and infant mortality rates but it
should not dazzle us into neglecting persistent problems," she
told reporters.
Nafsiah, also a well-known AIDS and social worker, pointed out
that rape is on the increase, as is the number of adults forcing
their children to become beggars for them.
Unfortunately, Indonesian laws provide inadequate legal
protection for women and children, especially against abuse by
family members and security officials, she said.
"People who exploit children go unpunished because there is no
particular law that deals with such crimes," Nafsiah said.
Nafsiah led a seminar on The Media's Role in the Commemoration
of the Second-Decennial of Indonesian Children, organized by the
Journalists and Writers Club for Women and Children and the
Jakarta office of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF).
The one-day seminar featured UNICEF's deputy representative
Yoshiteru Uramoto and S.C. Utami Munandar from the University of
Indonesia's School of Psychology.
Nafsiah said society is also involved in violence against
street children. For example, starving street children caught
stealing food are often badly treated, she noted.
People also tend to downplay rape and abuse of children.
"Many people still think rape and abuse of children is no big
deal simply because Indonesians are 'religious'. They are wrong,"
she said.
She criticized the mass media for not adequately raising
violence against women and abuse of children as a national
problem.
Hernowo Hadiwonggo, an assistant to the Coordinating Minister
for People's Welfare, said that the lack of media reports about
women's and children's issues is because the mass media do not
consider them salable stories.
"We can't blame the media. This happens because of the current
situation and the public demand leading them to cover other
stories," Hernowo told The Jakarta Post.
But Nafsiah was of the opinion that since violence against
women and abuse of children are becoming national problems, the
mass media should raise the issues more prominently. (31)