MoSA Responds to Cases of Sexual Violence against Children in Rupat, Bengkalis Regency

BENGKALIS (July 1, 2021) - The Ministry of Social Affairs through "Rumbai" Center in Pekanbaru dispatched case response officers to conduct initial identification and psychosocial support in response to reports of alleged viral cases of sexual violence perpetrated by unscrupulous teachers at one of the Islamic boarding schools in Batu Panjang Village, Rupat District, Bengkalis Regency, Riau Province.

A case of sexual violence was experienced by the victim on behalf of AM (12). The allegation of sexual harassment by a spiritual teacher of the reading Koran against the child of the AM victim was carried out 5 times. AM began to receive sexual violence in March 2021 in the form of caning with the lure of money in exchange for Rp. 5 thousand - Rp. 10 thousand. After venting his lust, the perpetrator threatened AM not to tell anyone.

The disclosure of the case began with information from one of the other students' parents in early June 2021 and the victim's family was suspicious of AM's behavior, which began to be reluctant to be escorted to the teacher. Then the victim's child was then asked by the victim's mother and grandmother that the victim's child claimed to have received abuse from the perpetrator. The victim's family did not accept it, they continued to report to the Rupat Police so that the SFN perpetrator (37) was immediately arrested by the police.

Head of Rumbai Pekanbaru Center Ahmad Subarkah, who in this case was represented by Yustisia, conveyed the purpose of this case response. "Our goal in responding to this case is to conduct early identification and initial psychological treatment (psychological first aid) for AM as well as an assessment of the needs of the victim's child, which will be the result of a comprehensive assessment.

This can be used as our basis for providing the right component of Social Assistance services for children, whether family-based, community-based, or residential-based," said Yustisia as a Social Worker of Rumbai Center in Pekanbaru.

The results of the assessment carried out by social workers on children and their families showed that the child victims of AM felt uncomfortable and embarrassed because they received stigma from neighbors and the surrounding environment. The family could not stand to hear the conversation from the surrounding environment, but after case response officers from the Rumbai Children's Center Pekanbaru, the Bengkalis District Social Service, and the Bengkalis District Social Work Unit provided reinforcement in the form of Family Counseling, the mother of the AM and her extended family became more relieved and not worried too much again.

Family support is a potentially good source system in reinforcing child victims of AM. In addition, the Rumbai Children's Center also provides visa accessibility for child victims of AM and child nutrition packages.

Mr. Sulmi and Zaini on behalf of the family expressed their gratitude to Rumbai Center in Pekanbaru for providing reinforcement and assistance to our grandson and also coordinating directly with the Rupat Sector Police Chief regarding the progress of the investigation.

Head of the Social Rehabilitation Section of the Bengkalis Regency Social Service, Taufan, said that the Social Service was ready to oversee this case following the development of the case and would synergize again with Rumbai Pekanbaru Center to address the problems of children in Bengkalis Regency," he explained.