Sense of security helps children report violence, says psychologist
Jakarta (ANTARA) — Clinical child and adolescent psychologist Ocha Ananda Suherik, M.Psi., has said that a warm and secure relationship between a child and an adult is one of the most important protective factors in preventing and addressing violence.
In developmental psychology, Ocha explained, this is known as the concept of secure attachment — a warm, responsive and safe relationship between a child and their caregiver or the adults around them.
“A child who feels heard, trusted and not judged will be braver in speaking out about their experiences and seeking help when facing dangerous situations,” Ocha told ANTARA in Jakarta on Saturday.
According to Ocha, when children experience violence or bullying, the first thing they need to do is find a trusted adult.
“That person could be a parent, a teacher, a family member, a psychologist or another adult who makes the child feel safe enough to talk,” said the psychologist, a graduate of the University of Indonesia.
Ocha also noted that several psychological and developmental factors make it difficult for children to disclose experiences of violence.
“Many people assume that a child who does not immediately speak up is covering up what happened or does not want help. In reality, it is far more complex,” she said.
Among these psychological and developmental factors, Ocha continued, is that a child’s ability to understand, process and recount their experiences is still developing. Especially when the experience is traumatic, children are often not yet able to assign meaning to it or organise events into a coherent story.
Ocha explained that when a child experiences threats or violence, the brain automatically activates a survival response. In this state, the child may react by fighting, fleeing or freezing.
In some children, she added, the nervous system can also enter a state of hypoarousal, so they appear quiet, flat or seemingly unresponsive. This does not mean the child feels no fear or is not hurt; rather, their brain is trying to protect itself from a situation perceived as highly threatening.
“As a result, outward expressions do not always reflect what the child is actually feeling,” said the psychologist, who is a member of the Indonesian Psychology Association (HIMPSI).
She gave examples such as a child fearing threats from the perpetrator, worrying they will not be believed, feeling they will be blamed, or having previously spoken out only to be ignored.
“The situation becomes even more difficult when the perpetrator is someone close to the child, such as a family member, a teacher or someone the child has trusted all along, because the child may experience an internal conflict between fear and the desire to maintain that relationship,” Ocha said.
Data from the Online Information System for the Protection of Women and Children (Simfoni PPA) recorded 35,131 cases of violence during 2025, with 23,043 cases, or 65.59 per cent, involving children.
The theme of National Children’s Day (HAN) 2026 aims to raise awareness across all elements of the nation to fulfil children’s rights, provide protection from violence and create a safe and inclusive environment. Protecting children is not only the duty of families or the government, but a shared responsibility.