Child protection and abuse issues in Indonesia

The Indonesian Ministry of Women Empowerment and Child Protection (PPPA) has highlighted increased risks of violence against children, particularly in disaster-affected regions. In Aceh, over 1,000 cases of violence were recorded in 2025, with a majority occurring in districts impacted by floods and landslides. Officials noted that displacement conditions, such as inadequate sanitation and poor lighting in evacuation centers, heighten the risk of sexual violence. In East Nusa Tenggara, sexual violence was reported in abandoned homes following earthquakes.

Concurrently, authorities are investigating various localized incidents of abuse. In Bekasi, police are investigating allegations of repeated sexual violence at an Islamic boarding school involving more than 10 victims. In Jakarta, a teacher has been suspended following allegations of physical punishment and inappropriate behavior at a vocational school. Additionally, in Lebak, officials are providing medical and psychological assistance to a victim of alleged abuse by a shaman.

To mitigate these vulnerabilities, the Ministry is establishing ‘Pos Sapa’ (Women and Child Friend Centers) in Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra to provide psychosocial support and protection services.

By October 2026, new data from Lebak Regency indicated 124 cases of violence and harassment against women and children recorded since the start of the year, comprising 77 cases involving children and 47 involving women. Officials noted perpetrators are frequently known to the victims, often triggered by the consumption of vulgar social media content. Nationally, lawmakers have raised alarms over declining fiscal resources for the Ministry of Women Empowerment and Child Protection. According to Commission VIII of the House of Representatives, the ministry’s budget fell from Rp300 billion in 2024 to Rp153 billion in 2025, and further to Rp133 billion in 2026, sparking concerns that these cuts may hinder protection mandates.