Practice sexual violence what happens in society, including indigenous communities, is the responsibility of all levels of society, considering its very broad impact, not only on individual victims, but also on social and humanitarian structures.
Sexual violence threatens human rights, hinders the physical and mental well-being of victims, and exacerbates gender inequality. Therefore, all elements of society, including individuals, families, government, educational institutions, and the private sector, must play an active role in preventing, responding to, and eradicating sexual violence. It is not enough to rely solely on victims or the injured party to fight this practice, because sexual violence is a systemic problem that requires cross-sector cooperation to be addressed comprehensively, including society.
Yayasan Citra Mandiri Mentawai (YCMM) in the Sipaumat Program together with KEMITRAAN continues to strive to raise awareness of all parties from the government level to the grassroots. This is the background to a number of activities such as paralegal training for supervisors of sexual violence cases (KS) at the grassroots level, GEDSI (gender, disability, and social inclusion) mainstreaming training to routine assistance through community assistants living in villages.
"In addition to training, we also conduct advocacy and dialogue with the local government and police, as well as build collaboration with CSO networks, such as LBH Padang and WCC Nurani Perempuan," said Tarida Hernawati, Program Manager of SIPAUMAT, YCMM.
YCMM believes that KS must be a shared responsibility. Collective responsibility in overcoming sexual violence is also related to changes in culture and social attitudes that often tolerate or allow sexual violence to occur. So that by involving the community in activities, it is also an effort to foster public awareness to become a social control in society. And further as an effort to protect victims, and ensure that perpetrators are given strict sanctions.
"Through the work we do, we are able to increase the awareness and concern of the Village Government, Regional Government and Police to immediately respond and handle KS cases that occur," he said further.
Tarida added that in the future it is necessary to increase prevention efforts and assistance and protection of victims. Therefore, government policies are needed, one of which is through the Regional Regulation on the Protection and Empowerment of Women and Children.
The role of the community is also no less important to strengthen the drive for the realization of the regulation through an audience to convince the Mentawai Regional Government including law enforcement institutions (Police and Prosecutors). One example of the importance of the role of the community as a social control, has ultimately saved one of the victims of KS who is a child in indigenous people Mentawai who almost became victims of human trafficking.
"At that time, the victim was successfully rescued by a neighbor who happened to live close to the location of the kidnapping, then based on the family's report, the Mentawai Resort Police and the village government responded quickly until finally the victim's whereabouts were known," said Reynald, a field assistant.
From the incident, it shows that every individual in society has an important role in social control to overcome sexual violence in the surrounding environment. Without active participation from all parties, efforts to create a safe and free society from sexual violence will be difficult to achieve.
