LPSK encourages victim assistance funds to optimise TPPO restitution
Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Witness and Victim Protection Agency (LPSK) is encouraging the utilisation of victim assistance funds (DBK) as a safety net to ensure the fulfilment of restitution rights for victims of human trafficking crimes (TPPO), particularly those involving sexual exploitation methods.
This encouragement was conveyed by LPSK Deputy Chairman Antonius PS Wibowo during the launch of the Restitution Guidelines Book for TPPO Cases, compiled by the Supreme Court, as an effort to strengthen victim recovery mechanisms amid limitations in restitution fulfilment by perpetrators.
“In practice, there are conditions where restitution cannot be fully fulfilled, either due to the perpetrator’s limited ability or challenges in implementation on the ground,” Antonius stated in a release in Jakarta on Thursday.
According to him, the existence of DBK becomes an important instrument to fill the gap in fulfilling victims’ rights when perpetrators are unable to pay restitution in full.
This policy refers to Government Regulation Number 29 of 2025 on Victim Assistance Funds, which is a derivative of the Sexual Violence Crimes Law (UU TPKS), providing a legal basis for the state to provide compensation to victims.
“These guidelines are expected to serve as a reference for law enforcement officials in facilitating the more effective fulfilment of victims’ restitution rights,” Antonius said.
LPSK also notes that the guidelines compiled by the Supreme Court have accommodated the linkage between TPPO with sexual exploitation methods and sexual violence crimes, thus opening opportunities for the utilisation of DBK in both types of cases.
However, LPSK provides several notes for improvement, including the need to strengthen provisions related to the timeframe for restitution payments, mechanisms if the perpetrator does not pay, and orders for the seizure and auction of the convict’s assets.
In addition, LPSK assesses that there needs to be guidance ensuring that victims know their rights to restitution, including in situations where victims are not presented as witnesses in court proceedings.
LPSK data for the first quarter of 2026 shows that the need for strengthening restitution mechanisms remains high, with 76 restitution applications for TPPO cases and 50 applications for TPKS cases.
This data reflects the need for a rapid and systematic response in fulfilling victims’ rights, while also strengthening synergy among law enforcement to ensure that restitution is not only stated in decisions but also realised in practice.
LPSK emphasises that the optimisation of DBK is an important part of efforts to build a victim-oriented criminal justice system and guarantee sustainable recovery.