According to the Head of Women’s Empowerment and Protection (Kepala Bidang Pemberdayaan Perempuan dan Perlindungan or KBPP), Mrs. Pinasti, the Agency for Family Planning and Women’s Empowerment (Badan Keluarga Berencana dan Pemberdayaan Perempuan or BKBPP) Banjarnegara district, recorded 36 cases of sexual violence against women and children from January to May 2016. As for the previous year, 2015, KBPP recorded 64 such cases, most victims were women and children. “This condition is one of the main reasons KBPP wants to create Integrated Service Centres (Pusat Pelayanan Terpadu or PPT) in the villages”, she said, in a meeting with Mitra Wacana at KBPP’s office on Tuesday (14/06/16).

According to Pinasti, PPT presence at the village level is expected to answer the needs of people, especially the victims and families to get the services needed. Pinasti added that the high rate of violence recorded by KBPP is a strong indicator that the community already has a high awareness for being brave enough to report cases. According Fatkhur, KBPP community empowerment staff, there needs to be synergy constantly to promote the existence of services for victims of violence.

During the meeting, the Mitra Wacana team including Desi Wulandari, Nata Eka Saptiana, Dewi Wulansari, Purwanti (community companion), Mansur (field coordinator) and Sony Marsana, discussed the existence of the Learning Centres for Women and Children (Pusat Pembelajaran Perempuan dan Anak or P3A) in Susukan subdistrict (Berta and Karngjati villages) and Punggelan subdistrict (Petuguran and Bondolharjo villages) to be integrated in the KBPP network, according to Desi and Mansur, P3A already have walk-in counselling for victims of violence. (Desi / tnt)