Preventing Child Grooming: KPAI Urges Passage of Child Care Bill
Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Indonesian Child Protection Commission (KPAI) has urged the government and House of Representatives (DPR) to accelerate the passage of the Child Care Bill as part of efforts to prevent cases of sexual violence against children, including child grooming.
"KPAI is pushing for the expedited passage of the Child Care Bill. We need regulations that can standardise the behaviour of all adults who work with children — in this case teachers, coaches and carers — to prevent perpetrators from moving between workplaces with a clean record," said KPAI Deputy Chairman Jasra Putra when contacted in Jakarta on Wednesday.
He added that the legislation would also provide proper care guidelines so that parents are not easily deceived by perpetrators' economic tactics.
Meanwhile, responding to a viral video of a teacher in Sukabumi Regency, West Java, who created romantic content with a female pupil, KPAI assessed the case as a tip-of-the-iceberg phenomenon.
"Behind content that is dismissed as a joke, there is a systematic pattern of crime that manipulates the vulnerability of children and families," said Jasra Putra.
According to him, the government and law enforcement must take a firm stance against the phenomenon of child grooming.
"KPAI views this case as an entry point for dismantling child grooming practices that are becoming increasingly sophisticated and manipulative. I believe we need to take a firm stance on the phenomenon of child grooming."
He explained that grooming perpetrators do not operate haphazardly. They often conduct "research" on their prospective victims, both through social media and direct observation.
"The primary targets are families that are economically or psychologically vulnerable. The perpetrator enters like a hero — helping with school fees, paying off family debts, promising academic achievement, or offering employment. Some also exploit conflicts between children and their families, or parental shortcomings. The aim is to create dependency and a sense of indebtedness," said Jasra Putra.
He noted that perpetrators also hide behind the mask of respected professions, such as teachers, religious leaders or alternative medicine practitioners.
Additionally, perpetrators use moral and spiritual authority to manipulate children.
"Perpetrators frequently employ divide-and-conquer tactics, separating a child's emotions from their parents, making the child trust the perpetrator more than their own family. This is an isolation technique to ensure their crimes go undetected," said Jasra Putra.
Previously, social media content went viral showing a state primary school teacher in Sukabumi Regency, West Java, allegedly engaging in child grooming with a female pupil.
The Sukabumi Regency Education Office is still investigating the motive behind the teacher's actions to determine whether there are elements of child grooming involved.
"KPAI is pushing for the expedited passage of the Child Care Bill. We need regulations that can standardise the behaviour of all adults who work with children — in this case teachers, coaches and carers — to prevent perpetrators from moving between workplaces with a clean record," said KPAI Deputy Chairman Jasra Putra when contacted in Jakarta on Wednesday.
He added that the legislation would also provide proper care guidelines so that parents are not easily deceived by perpetrators' economic tactics.
Meanwhile, responding to a viral video of a teacher in Sukabumi Regency, West Java, who created romantic content with a female pupil, KPAI assessed the case as a tip-of-the-iceberg phenomenon.
"Behind content that is dismissed as a joke, there is a systematic pattern of crime that manipulates the vulnerability of children and families," said Jasra Putra.
According to him, the government and law enforcement must take a firm stance against the phenomenon of child grooming.
"KPAI views this case as an entry point for dismantling child grooming practices that are becoming increasingly sophisticated and manipulative. I believe we need to take a firm stance on the phenomenon of child grooming."
He explained that grooming perpetrators do not operate haphazardly. They often conduct "research" on their prospective victims, both through social media and direct observation.
"The primary targets are families that are economically or psychologically vulnerable. The perpetrator enters like a hero — helping with school fees, paying off family debts, promising academic achievement, or offering employment. Some also exploit conflicts between children and their families, or parental shortcomings. The aim is to create dependency and a sense of indebtedness," said Jasra Putra.
He noted that perpetrators also hide behind the mask of respected professions, such as teachers, religious leaders or alternative medicine practitioners.
Additionally, perpetrators use moral and spiritual authority to manipulate children.
"Perpetrators frequently employ divide-and-conquer tactics, separating a child's emotions from their parents, making the child trust the perpetrator more than their own family. This is an isolation technique to ensure their crimes go undetected," said Jasra Putra.
Previously, social media content went viral showing a state primary school teacher in Sukabumi Regency, West Java, allegedly engaging in child grooming with a female pupil.
The Sukabumi Regency Education Office is still investigating the motive behind the teacher's actions to determine whether there are elements of child grooming involved.