Education strategies to prevent child abuse in Aceh, Indonesia: Women and Child Empowerment Center and Protection Unit

Abstract

This study seeks strategies to educate and prevent child abuse in Aceh. The research was a qualitative study with thirty purposively selected subjects who were officers at the Integrated Service Center for Women and Child Empowerment (P2TP2A) and the Technical Implementing Unit-Protection of Women and Children (UPTD-PPA) in Aceh province. Data were collected via interviews, observation, and documentation. There were three stages of data analysis, i.e., organizing, summarizing, and interpreting. The study discovered that implementing Sharia and Aceh Qanun supported the role of P2TP2A and UPTD-PPA in protecting and preventing child abuse. The P2TP2A and UPTD-PPA have socialized the Qanun on child protection to the community by collaborating with educational institutions in Aceh, organizing parenting training for parents, and developing self-protection skills for children. Qanun applications on child protection prioritize humanist and Islamic principles. Child abuse in Aceh varied, including psychological and physical abuse. Internal and external factors, such as mobile phones as a technology media, parenting, economy, broken home, and lack of religious education, caused child abuse. P2TP2A and UPTD-PPA experienced problems carrying out their duties due to the community's close-mindedness and lack of trust in both institutions. Moreover, the facilities and child psychologists were still limited. However, P2TP2A and UPTD-PPA have carried out their duties effectively.