Peer-reviewed article
THE ROLE OF THE WOMEN'S EMPOWERMENT AND CHILD PROTECTION SERVICE IN HANDLING VIOLENCE AGAINST CHILDREN
Nurul Pratiwi, Eka Fitra Ramadani, Yudhi Andrew Pratama Lumoindon ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001This study examines how Indonesia's Office of Women's Empowerment and Child Protection (DP3A) in Gowa Regency addresses child abuse through prevention, case handling, and recovery programs. The office works with schools, police, and NGOs to provide legal and psychological services to affected children. However, the service faces significant challenges including staff shortages, insufficient funding, low public awareness, and cultural acceptance of violence, which limit its effectiveness and leave many cases unreported.
Key points
- DP3A provides preventive measures through community outreach and education programs
- Case handling involves legal and psychological services through the UPTD PPA unit
- Recovery programs include counseling, therapy, and social reintegration for children
- Collaboration with schools, police, Social Affairs Office, and NGOs strengthens the protection system
- Major obstacles include professional staff shortages, limited operational funding, low public awareness, and patriarchal cultural attitudes that normalize violence
Limitations
This is a qualitative study of a single regency in Indonesia, so findings may not generalize to other regions or countries. The study does not measure the actual outcomes or impact of DP3A's interventions on child safety or recovery.
Abstract
The study aims to analyze the role of the Office of Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection (DP3A) in handling cases of child abuse in Gowa Regency. The research employs a qualitative approach, with data collected through observation, interviews, and documentation. The focus of this study is to examine how DP3A carries out its role in addressing child abuse in Gowa Regency and to identify the inhibiting factors it faces in handling such cases. The findings reveal that DP3A Gowa Regency plays a strategic role in addressing child abuse through preventive measures such as community outreach and education, case handling through the UPTD PPA with legal and psychological services, and child recovery programs including counseling, therapy, and social reintegration. Collaboration with schools, the police, the Social Affairs Office, NGOs, and the establishment of a Children’s Forum further strengthens the child protection system in the region. However, the study also identifies several inhibiting factors, including a shortage of professional human resources, limited operational funding, and low public awareness influenced by patriarchal culture and the normalization of violence. These obstacles result in limited services, delays in case handling, and a large number of unreported cases. In conclusion, DP3A Gowa Regency plays an essential role in creating a comprehensive child protection ecosystem, although it still requires greater support in terms of human resource capacity, funding, and shifts in societal paradigms to ensure optimal child protection