Cases of sexual violence against women and children in West Sumatra, including in the Mentawai Islands Regency, continue to increase. Throughout 2022, according to data from the Mentawai Islands P3A Social Service, there were 16 cases of sexual violence against children in Mentawai and from January to April 2023 there have been 3 cases published by Mentawaikita.com.
Apart from this published data, there are many more acts of sexual violence that befall women and children in Mentawai. This requires firm and serious law enforcement efforts. YCMM together with the West Sumatra civil society coalition, including the West Sumatra Mentawai Student Forum and the Padang Youth Group are again advocating to encourage policy changes in handling cases of criminal sexual violence against women and children in Mentawai. This includes law enforcement against perpetrators and recovery and protection for victims.
One of the advocacy strategies carried out is by making a press release stating a joint position regarding the handling of cases and victims of sexual violence in Mentawai. This effort was able to attract wider media coverage in West Sumatra, especially in the city of Padang. One of them is Radio Classy FM Padang which invited YCMM as a coalition representative to be a resource person in a news program on May 5 2023 and a talk show on May 11 2023.
In the talk show on May 11 2023, apart from YCMM, the Head of the West Sumatra PPA UPTD, the West Sumatra POLDA PPA Unit Officer, and a Clinical Psychologist were also present as resource persons. From the ongoing discussion, the West Sumatra POLDA promised to carry out strict law enforcement against the perpetrators and guarantee the victims' rights in accordance with Law no. 12 of 2022 concerning Crime of Sexual Violence.
The West Sumatra PPA UPTD also promised to make efforts to assist cases and recover victims in accordance with its duties and authority together with the Mentawai Islands Regency PPA UPTD. Joint movements and efforts of all parties are urgently needed to protect women and children from criminal acts of sexual violence.
