The disclosure of the case of child prostitution, while every year there are new cases that are revealed, always surprises us. Moreover, the cases occurred in the same location.
By
KOMPAS EDITOR
·3 minutes read
ARSIP KOMPAS
Sparkling light at a cafe in Gang Royal, Rawa Bebek, North Jakarta, Monday (16/1/2023) early morning. Along this alley are lined with cafes which are the locations for prostitution at night.
On 16 March 2023, the police revealed the practice of prostitution involving five young girls in Gang Royal, North Jakarta. This was not the first time. In January 2020 the police revealed the practice of prostitution in the Gang Royal involving girls (Kompas, 23/3/2023).
A similar case did not only occur in Gang Royal. In early 2021, the police revealed the case of child trafficking for prostitution in an apartment in Central Jakarta. The case involving 12 children as victims was widely reported in the mass media at the time. In early 2023, the police revealed again the case of child prostitution in the apartment.
If the news in the mass media is examined, there are countless disclosures of prostitution cases involving young girls. However, there is no exact data on how many girls are victims. Based on existing data, the cases that were revealed were only the peak of the iceberg. UNICEF reported in 1998 the estimated number of children involved in child prostitution had reached 40,000-70,000 children (KPPPA, 2016). Now it could be more.
In every disclosure of the cases, usually the police can arrest the procurers or intermediaries. However, the disclosure often does not bring light to the syndicate network. Therefore, child prostitution cannot be considered an ordinary case. It can even be said that there is an emergency on child prostitution cases. Without any legal breakthroughs, the child prostitution syndicate network remains "free" to commit crimes, and cases of child prostitution will continue to occur.
ARSIP KOMPAS
IA (28) when met in North Jakarta, Tuesday (3/1/2023). IA is a survivor of child trafficking who was held captive in the Bekasi area, West Java.
Child prostitution does not only violate the Child Protection Law; more than that, it is a criminal offense that violates human rights. The punishment in the Criminal Law for human trafficking is up to 15 years in prison and a fine of Rp 120 million to Rp 600 million, in addition to another third of the amount if a crime has been committed on children, but this has no deterrent effect.
Indonesia ratified ILO Convention Number 182 of 1999 on the Worst Work Form; the Convention on Children's Rights, and the Operational Protocol of the Child Rights Convention regarding the selling of children, child prostitution and child pornography. These three international instruments strongly ban child trafficking and slavery for any purpose, including prostitution.
The community also has the responsibility to protect children and create a safe environment for them. The existence of a child-friendly integrated village needs to be evaluated and optimized. In addition to the physical needs of children, such as playgrounds, psychological needs and children's welfare need to have our attention. Does the community support children's psychological growth and development? They are no longer my child or your child; they are our children, who we must protect and maintain in order to grow and develop well.
