MALANG (MARCH 15, 2023) - A (8) finally wanted to leave the house after several weeks. This 8-year-old child stopped going to school and going to majlis Qur’an. Shame, and fear, mixed with anger made her confine herself to the house.

"The child is participating in activities at the mosque, ma'am," said her mother when visited by a team from the Directorate of Child Social Rehabilitation of the Ministry of Social Affairs at her home in Malang, Friday (2/3).

Previously, the team had conducted assessments and therapy for A and her two friends who were also 10 and 11 years old. The three of them were victims of sexual violence committed by a Quranic teacher in the neighborhood where they lived. Sadly, this incident has been going on since 2021 until it was finally reported to the police at the end of February.

Handling the three of them is not easy. Children experience psychological pressure. The team took an individual approach to dealing with the three victims. One of them is an assessment through body mapping. Body mapping is one of the toolkits used to educate children about the body as well as help identify violence that has been experienced.

Children are asked to draw themselves on a piece of paper. Then guided to show which parts of the body have been abused, both physically and sexually. Social Counselor Junior Expert who joined the team, Chairani, said A was able to show several parts of the body that had been abused.

"There are several parts that are pointed out. Including the reproductive area, and other sensitive areas. The child also mentioned what was done to her and who the perpetrator was," said the woman who is familiarly called Ani, Tuesday (3/14).

In addition to assessment, Ani said the Ministry of Social Affairs team also used body mapping to provide children with an understanding of body boundaries that should not be touched by others. Children tend not to understand body boundaries because sex education is still considered taboo.

"We invite children to play and sing. For education, we invite them to sing that touching is allowed, touching is not allowed," said Ani.

The Ministry of Social Affairs team provides more therapy such as hypnotherapy to the three victims. For example, children are invited to the subconscious and then given suggestions. The goal is that children can release stress and other psychological pressures they suffer from as a result of sexual violence.

Hypnotherapy is not only for children but also for the parents of the victims. They are considered to also bear the psychological and social burden because of what their children have experienced.

"We focus on suggestions so that the child and parents accept this incident. That they are innocent. This helps them to be more enthusiastic and happier," said Ani.

Meanwhile, the Head of the Soeharso Solo Integrated Center, Rachmat Koesnadi, said that his party had coordinated with related parties such as the Malang Regency Social Service, assistants, village officials, and the local environment regarding the child's condition.

Rachmat also said that Sentra has come to the Malang District Police to advocate for the legal process, as well as coordination with the school so that the child still feels comfortable attending school and does not receive a negative stigma from the school environment. In addition to advocacy after the incident, Sentra also explores preventive measures.

"Our team also advocates village officials to prevent sexual violence from happening again in the community," said Rachmat.

Furthermore, Rachmat said Sentra also provides Social Rehabilitation Assistance (ATENSI) to children and parents, in the form of fulfilling nutritional assistance, necessities, personal hygiene tools, school supplies, and educational play tools.

"Apart from assistance for children, there is assistance for business for their parents," he said.

Soeharso Solo Integrated Center provides business empowerment assistance in the form of selling cakes, selling shallots and garlic, and selling ice for the families of three victims.


Public Relations Bureau

Ministry of Social Affairs