PPAPP Agency Optimizes SAPA Post Officers in Transportation Mode

The Jakarta Women's Empowerment, Family Planning, and Child Protection Agency (PPAPP) continues to optimize the service of the Friends of Women and Children (SAPA) posts in public spaces.

We need to optimize the capacity of SAPA Post officers

One of them is by strengthening SAPA Post officers on transportation modes through technical guidance activities (bimtek).

On that occasion, officers and management at PT Transjakarta, PT MRT, and PT LRT will be trained in preventing and handling acts of violence and sexual harassment against women in public transportation.

Public Transport Operators must Be Proactive to Prevent Sexual Violence

PPAPP Agency Head Tuty Kusumawati said that based on the survey results of the Coalition for Safe Public Spaces (KRPA) 2022, transportation, including its facilities and infrastructure, is one of the five locations where sexual harassment occurs most with 23 percent.

Therefore, the bimtek was held to increase the capacity of human resources in handling violence against women and children in transportation modes.

"We need to optimize the capacity of SAPA Post officers and campaign for the prevention, as well as overcoming violence in transportation modes," she expressed, Wednesday (8/10).

She explained that her party collaborated with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and National Commission on Violence Against Women (Komnas Perempuan) in strengthening SAPA Post officers in transportation modes.

Officers would be given the knowledge to help prevent and report acts of violence on public transport and protect victims.

The materials that would be given included gender-based violence, the phenomenon of violence in public spaces, especially transportation; mechanisms, and simulations of handling sexual violence against women and children in transportation modes.

"This month, around 200 officers, mostly from Transjakarta, will undergo technical guidance," she explained.

According to her, the SAPA Post was an initial reference that users of transportation modes could use for complaints and/or getting violent Communication, Information, and Education (KIE) services.

Its implementation in the mode of transportation was a commitment to support and as well as to be actively involved in the implementation of the Jakarta Women's Recovery, Child Protection, and Disability Program.

By so, it could be able to solve cases quickly and thoroughly which aims to increase public confidence in using public transportation.

Feeling safe and comfortable using public transportation could encourage people to switch from private transportation to public transportation.

"We continue to do campaigns to raise public awareness thus they dare to report," she stressed.