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(Galatians 4:16)

Indonesia: Islam to blame for child abuse, says protection group

Jakarta-[[[Poor interpretation of Islam may be responsible for rampant child abuse across Indonesia, according to a national protection group.]]] In an interview with Adnkronos International (AKI), Seto Mulyadi, chairman of the National Committee for Child Protection (KPAI), said that [[[many parents misunderstand what Islam says about physical punishment. “There is a saying in Islam which states, ‘At the end of a cane lies gold,’ which parents have taken as advice to discipline their children,” Mulyadi said. “Many parents don’t reflect on the teachings. They think that if you want well-behaved children, then it is ok to cane them.” "But Islam actually means that parents should be firm with the child’s education,” he added.Mulyadi also explained that many parents view their children as possessions. “Parents feel superior and think they can treat their children however they want, thinking it is for the sake of their future or education.”]]]According to a new report by KPAI, [[[an estimated 72,000 Indonesian children were abused last year, either physically, sexually or mentally, and most of the violence was carried out by parents or relatives. KPAI’s report shows that 447,294 children are living in the street, 42,771 are being exploited sexually in a commercial manner, 232,726 have dropped out of school and 721,615 are employed as workers.The report also highlights how children’s rights are excluded from government plans, even though Indonesia has signed the UN Convention on Child Rights, which calls for it to uphold children’s rights. ]]]Although most of the abuse happens in poor, uneducated families, Mulyadi explained that abuse also happens in wealthy homes. KPAI is seeking a ministry for child rights and using media to teach parents to be more affectionate. However, Mulyadi said that, most importantly, the culture needs to change their perception of children and lift the cultural taboo that contributes to abuse in the archipelago. “Many parents think that reporting incidents will bring shame to the family, especially if it involves sexual abuse,” he said. Almost 40 per cent of Indonesia’s 240 million people are estimated to be under 18 years of age.

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