Visiting Child Victims of Sexual Abuse in Blitar, Minister of Social Affairs Helps Support Recovery

BLITAR (April 1, 2023) - Minister of Social Affairs Tri Rismaharini visited child victims of sexual abuse in Blitar Regency, East Java to provide basic needs assistance and empowerment, Saturday (01/04).

"We support them, previously we conducted an assessment, and it turned out that the environment was also quite supportive," said Social Affairs Minister Risma after meeting the victim at a safe house in Blitar Regency, Saturday (01/04).

The assistance is in the form of basic needs such as groceries, hygiene kits, and additional nutrition, as well as school supplies.

Meanwhile, entrepreneurial assistance in the form of culinary fried chicken will be provided through the victim's brother.

"We are also supported by village heads, regents, and medical officers. We hope that this strengthening will benefit not only the victim but also her brother or mother when she returns from abroad," said the Minister.

It is known that a man from Blitar, YK (44) raped his daughter, who was in grade 6 elementary school, several times until the victim was now pregnant. The criminal act was committed when the perpetrator's wife or the victim's mother was not at home because she worked as an Indonesian Migrant Worker (PMI) abroad.

Responding to this incident, the Ministry of Social Affairs Team through the Directorate of Child Social Rehabilitation and Prof. Dr. Soeharso Surakarta Integrated Center conducted an assessment of the victim. The team consists of Social Workers and Psychologists who also facilitated victims for psychiatry and obstetrician services to the cost of childbirth.

After this incident, the Minister of Social Affairs hopes there will be no bullying against victims. "I ask that we all support so that the child can be stronger to continue her life," said the Minister.

On the same occasion, Blitar Regent Rini Syarifah welcomed the cooperation of the Ministry of Social Affairs in efforts to empower women in Blitar Regency. It hopes that women do not have to leave children at home to become migrant workers. This is because Blitar Regency is the second district in Indonesia to contribute the largest number of Indonesian Migrant Workers or Pekerja Migran Indonesia (PMI).

"We hope that nothing like this will not happen again. By reducing the number of migrant workers, at least at the Head Office of the Ministry of Social Affairs, please encourage our migrant workers abroad not to come back there and the empowerment here has to be strengthened again," she said.

She also thanked the Ministry of Social Affairs for supporting the victims in the recovery process.