Crimes Against Children Increasing In Indonesia

Jakarta, Jan 9 (ANTARA) - In 2012, crimes against children in Indonesia were dominated by rape cases and sexual assaults, said the Chairperson of the Indonesian Commission for Child Protection (KPAI), Maria Ulfah Anshor. "In 2012, crimes against children were dominated by rape cases and sexual assaults, constituting 30 percent of the total number of crimes in the country, said Maria on Wednesday. Violence against children in schools was common in 2012 too. According to KPAI, 87 percent of the children in the country claimed they were victims of violence in schools. "The rate of violence in schools is pretty high. Around 87 percent of the children in the country claimed they had been treated violently in schools, by teachers, administrative officers or security guards," she said. This year, the Commission is keen on implementing a campaign on `child friendly schools`, to enlighten the relevant stakeholders in schools on ways to protect children. "When a student is treated violently, either the victim or his/her schoolmates should report the case to higher authorities. Schools should also provide counselling services," she stated. According to the Commission, children should be aware of rape and sexual abuses so that they can protect themselves, she added. If anyone hears about a child assault case, he/she should inform the police immediately, she stated. Until now, many rape cases have not been reported to the police because the children`s families are ashamed of the incidents. "Rape and sexual abuses are serious crimes. Perpetrators of such crimes can be sentenced to a minimum of three years in prison or a maximum of 15 years in prison," she said. In 2011, crimes against children were dominated by violence against children in child detention centres.