To Protect Children, Sexual Harassment Free Zones Should Be Promoted

Child sexual abuse is an iceberg phenomenon. Where the existing data does not represent the real conditions in the field. Because there are still many cases of sexual abuse that are not reported. The majority consider it a family disgrace.

Data from the Indonesian Child Protection Commission (KPAI) in 2021, victims of sexual violence are dominated by elementary school children. The number reached 64.7 percent. Other data states, 45.1 percent of 14,517 children, are cases of sexual violence.

Initial findings in several elementary schools showed that teachers still think that sex is taboo. Teachers’ lack of skill in providing sexual education to children leads to less explanation of reproductive health to children. As well as the lack of capability of students, in rejecting and reporting if they experience sexual harassment.

Now, even in the mass media, many cases of sexual harassment in Islamic boarding schools (ponpes) are reported. Ponpes should be able to protect their students. Logically, people with good religious knowledge should not become perpetrators of sexual harassment. So, children need to be equipped with knowledge and skills in recognizing, rejecting, and reporting if they become victims of sexual harassment.

Islam is a moral foundation in all aspects of human life. It has an integrative relationship between man and God, man and his fellow man, and even with other creatures. But in reality, deviations in Islamic teachings are often found. One of them is child sexual abuse.

The Quran and Hadith are guidelines containing norms, which regulate human behavior. Norms that bind and regulate for the benefit of all humans on earth, not only for Muslims.

Islam is a religion of rahmatan lil alamin. This includes discussing the issue of sex, which is explained in an ethical and polite manner. Islam views sex as fitrah. Attraction to the opposite sex is a human nature as a creation of Allah SWT. Humans as sexual beings were created to reproduce in order to preserve human life.

Sex education is closely related to how children are educated at home and school. The program to prevent sexual abuse in children will be successful if there is collaboration between parents and teachers. The Merdeka curriculum also emphasizes the role of parents in their children's learning.

Sex education is an effective education, to provide knowledge, skills, and prevention to children in dealing with sexual violence. So the service team of Universitas Muhammadiyah Surakarta (UMS), chaired by Murfiah Dewi Wulandari, with members Ika Candra Sayekti and Okti Sri Purwanti, plus two students Rizki Rahma Kusama and Retno Fadillah, held a teacher empowerment program in preventing child sexual abuse.

This activity was funded by DRTPM Kemdikbudristek. It cover  socialization and training on sexual harassment prevention, which is integrated with the elementary school curriculum. Later it will be developed through the PlayStore application, so that parents can provide reinforcement at home.

This prevention program is like any other learning in class I. It takes the topic of body parts. It introduces students to private body parts, safe and unsafe touch, verbal and action refusal skills, and reporting in case of sexual harassment.

In grade VI, material on puberty is added. These include the characteristics of puberty in boys and girls, caring for reproductive organs, and safe relationships. The method used is adjusted to the cognitive development stage of the child. So that the purpose of sex education runs optimally and is easy for children to understand.

The cognitive development of elementary school children, according to Piaget, belongs to the concrete operational stage. Children will understand the material better if it is given in concrete or real terms. The appropriate method is the cooperative method, assisted by the media to clarify children's understanding.

The media can be presented in various formats, such as comics, videos, or hand puppets, accompanied by interactive applications. This allows students to access the media at their convenience and engage in discussions with their parents at home. Furthermore, introducing the benefits of gadgets as learning resources can enhance children's educational experiences.

The method employed uses discussion sessions and role-playing scenarios with hand puppets. This approach aims to equip students with the necessary skills to refuse and report instances of sexual harassment. By empowering teachers to address sexual harassment prevention, we can anticipate an increase in students’ knowledge, skills, and self-protective capabilities.

Many studies have been conducted on the prevention of sexual harassment, which is influenced by the success of sex education (Buck & Parrotta, 2014; Igor et al., 2015; Islawati & Paramastri, 2015; Kurtuncu et al., 2015; Walsh et al., 2018). Sex education increases children's knowledge to prevent sexual harassment.

As a result of the research, prevention of child sexual abuse is more effective in schools. Although there are some that involve the role of parents. Schools are the basis for child sexual abuse prevention (Igor et al., 2015; Stanley, et al., 2015; Tuty, et al., 2020; Walsh, et al., 2018; Wulandari, et al., 2021).

This service will establish a child sexual abuse free zone, especially in elementary schools in Surakarta City. The goal is that the child sexual abuse prevention program is integrated with the curriculum. As well as having a wider impact.

Source: https://radarsolo.jawapos.com/opini/842444828/zona-bebas-pelecehan-seksual-anak?page=2