Crime Against Children Decreases due to the Plan to Apply Chemical Castration

Head of Indonesian Child Protection Commission (KPAI) and other members of Committe after received by President Joko Widodo at the State Palace, Jakarta, on Tuesday (12/1)

Indonesian Child Protection Commission (KPAI) has recorded a decrease in child abuse problem in 2015, compared to 2014. It can happen because there is a commitment to prioritize protection principles in every level of policy, including by applying chemical castration punishment for the offenders of sexual crimes against children.

The Head of KPAI Asrorun Niam Sholeh explained that the result of KPAI’s monitoring and the data of Indonesian children problems during 2015 showed a good trend compared to 2014. Cumulatively, the rate of crime against children, based on KPAI’s primary data and based on complaints as well as direct supervision, decreased compared to the previous year.

 “One of the factors is the commitment to prioritize protection principles in every level of policy. At the end of 2015, October 2015 to be precise, the President hold a Limited Meeting with KPAI to discuss the prevention and handling of child abuse cases. One of the recommendation was apply more severe punishment to the offenders,” Asrorun said after received by President Joko Widodo at the State Palace, Jakarta, on Tuesday (12/1) morning.

Regarding the plan to apply chemical castration to the sexual offenders, Asrorun said that this plan arose because the sexual crime is usually repeatedly committed by the same person since the punishment does not generate deterrent effect. So, the answer is to applya more severe punishment.

At that time, the Attorney General suggested chemical castration punishment and it became the result of the Limited Meeting. Then, the journalists spread the news and it became public issue. Based on KPAI’s data from October to December 2015, the crimes drastically decreased compared to 2014.

 “It means, although it is still a plan, then the trend is decreasing. The fact is the regulation has not finished even though the President has emphasized this issue on that Limited Meeting,” Asrorun said.

According to thim, at that time KPAI suggested to issue a Government Regulation in lieu of Law (Perppu) because it is urgent to save the victimsimmediately. It is more urgent than Perppu of Regional Elections (Pilkada) for example, since the victims are not children.

The victims of child abuse are real and need emergency measures to save them. One of them is to generate a radical policy.

 “The manifestation of a radical policy is a Perppu as a manifestation of an obvious, clear, and progressive political commitment of the President. It is just need to be followed-up by his assistants,” Asrorun said.

The Head of KPAI explained that there are nine clusters of child abuse cases and in general the trend is decreasing, including the case of children dealing with law, child trafficking, health malpractice, and violence at school.

 “The rate of victims of violence at school is decreasing in general, but the amount of the offenders is rising. I thinks it needs to be conveyed to the President in order to take radical measures to ensure a school is a safe place for the children,” he stated. (FID/ES)(MMB/YM/Naster)