Limited training and support

Oct 13, 2025 by wbrum.org 25 views

Problematic Women's Journalists in Applying Guidelines for Child Friendly Reporting on the news of Sexual Violence Against Children (Case Study of Members of the North Sumatra Indonesian Women's Journalist Forum)

Introduction

The issue of sexual violence against children is a serious problem that affects many communities around the world. In Indonesia, the problem is no exception, and the media plays a crucial role in reporting on these cases. However, female journalists in Indonesia often face challenges in applying the Guidelines for Child Friendly Reporting (PPRA) when covering cases of sexual violence against children. This study aims to analyze the challenges experienced by members of the Indonesian Women's Journalists Forum (FJPI) in North Sumatra when reporting on these cases.

Background

The Guidelines for Child Friendly Reporting (PPRA) are a set of principles that aim to promote responsible and sensitive reporting on cases of sexual violence against children. The guidelines were developed by the Press Council of Indonesia in collaboration with the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and other stakeholders. The PPRA guidelines emphasize the importance of protecting the rights and dignity of child victims and promoting a culture of respect and empathy in reporting on these cases.

Despite the importance of the PPRA guidelines, many female journalists in Indonesia face challenges in applying them when covering cases of sexual violence against children. This study aims to identify the challenges faced by female journalists in North Sumatra and to explore ways to overcome them.

Methodology

This study uses a constructivism paradigm with a descriptive qualitative approach. Data collection was carried out through observation, in-depth interviews, focused group discussions (FGD), and documentation studies. The study involved 20 female journalists from the Indonesian Women's Journalists Forum (FJPI) in North Sumatra, who were selected through a purposive sampling method.

The data collected was analyzed using a thematic analysis approach, which involved identifying and coding the themes and patterns that emerged from the data. The study also involved triangulation, which involved verifying the findings through interviews with editors or producers in the media and press experts from the Press Council.

Findings

The study found that female journalists in North Sumatra face several challenges in applying the PPRA guidelines when covering cases of sexual violence against children. Some of the challenges include:

Lack of in-depth understanding of the PPRA guidelines: Many female journalists reported that they did not have a clear understanding of the PPRA guidelines and how to apply them in practice.
Limited training and support: The study found that many female journalists received limited training and support from their media companies to help them understand and apply the PPRA guidelines.
Lack of support from media companies: The study found that many female journalists reported that their media companies did not provide adequate support to help them enforce the PPRA guidelines and other standard operational procedures (SOPs).
Fear of victimization: Some female journalists reported that they were afraid to report on cases of sexual violence against children because they feared being victimized or harassed by the perpetrators or their families.

Conclusion

The study concludes that female journalists in North Sumatra face several challenges in applying the PPRA guidelines when covering cases of sexual violence against children. These challenges include a lack of in-depth understanding of the guidelines, limited training and support, lack of support from media companies, and fear of victimization.

To overcome these challenges, the study recommends that media companies provide clear direction and support to journalists, provide routine training on the PPRA guidelines and other SOPs, and enforce strict law enforcement for media companies that violate the PPRA and SPPA Law. The study also recommends that the community be encouraged to better understand the importance of sensitive and child-friendly reports, so that cases of sexual violence against children can be reported more responsibly and with integrity.

Recommendations

Based on the findings of this study, the following recommendations are made:

Media companies should provide clear direction and support to journalists: Media companies should provide clear direction and support to journalists to help them understand and apply the PPRA guidelines and other SOPs.
Routine training should be provided to journalists: Media companies should provide routine training to journalists on the PPRA guidelines and other SOPs to help them understand and apply them in practice.
Strict law enforcement should be enforced: Media companies that violate the PPRA and SPPA Law should be subject to strict law enforcement to create a safer and more ethical environment in reporting.
The community should be encouraged to better understand the importance of sensitive and child-friendly reports: The community should be encouraged to better understand the importance of sensitive and child-friendly reports, so that cases of sexual violence against children can be reported more responsibly and with integrity.

Limitations of the Study

This study has several limitations. Firstly, the study only involved 20 female journalists from the Indonesian Women's Journalists Forum (FJPI) in North Sumatra, which may not be representative of all female journalists in Indonesia. Secondly, the study only focused on the challenges faced by female journalists in applying the PPRA guidelines, and did not explore other factors that may contribute to these challenges. Finally, the study only collected data through observation, in-depth interviews, focused group discussions (FGD), and documentation studies, which may not provide a comprehensive understanding of the challenges faced by female journalists.

Future Research Directions

This study provides several directions for future research. Firstly, future studies should explore the challenges faced by male journalists in applying the PPRA guidelines, as well as the challenges faced by journalists from other regions in Indonesia. Secondly, future studies should explore other factors that may contribute to the challenges faced by female journalists in applying the PPRA guidelines, such as the role of media companies, the role of the community, and the role of the government. Finally, future studies should explore ways to overcome the challenges faced by female journalists in applying the PPRA guidelines, such as the development of more effective training programs and the implementation of more effective law enforcement.
Q&A: Problematic Women's Journalists in Applying Guidelines for Child Friendly Reporting on the news of Sexual Violence Against Children

Q: What are the main challenges faced by female journalists in applying the Guidelines for Child Friendly Reporting (PPRA) when covering cases of sexual violence against children?

A: The main challenges faced by female journalists in applying the PPRA guidelines include a lack of in-depth understanding of the guidelines, limited training and support, lack of support from media companies, and fear of victimization.

Q: Why is it important for female journalists to understand and apply the PPRA guidelines?

A: The PPRA guidelines are essential for promoting responsible and sensitive reporting on cases of sexual violence against children. By understanding and applying these guidelines, female journalists can help protect the rights and dignity of child victims and promote a culture of respect and empathy in reporting on these cases.

Q: What are some of the consequences of not applying the PPRA guidelines?

A: Not applying the PPRA guidelines can have serious consequences, including the re-victimization of child victims, the perpetuation of negative stereotypes and stigma, and the undermining of trust in the media.

Q: How can media companies support female journalists in applying the PPRA guidelines?

A: Media companies can support female journalists by providing clear direction and support, providing routine training on the PPRA guidelines and other SOPs, and enforcing strict law enforcement for media companies that violate the PPRA and SPPA Law.

Q: What role can the community play in promoting responsible and sensitive reporting on cases of sexual violence against children?

A: The community can play a crucial role in promoting responsible and sensitive reporting on cases of sexual violence against children by encouraging media companies to provide clear direction and support to journalists, promoting the importance of sensitive and child-friendly reports, and holding media companies accountable for their reporting practices.

Q: What are some of the ways that female journalists can overcome the challenges of applying the PPRA guidelines?

A: Female journalists can overcome the challenges of applying the PPRA guidelines by seeking training and support from media companies, networking with other journalists and experts, and advocating for policy changes that promote responsible and sensitive reporting on cases of sexual violence against children.

Q: What are some of the next steps for promoting responsible and sensitive reporting on cases of sexual violence against children?

A: Some of the next steps for promoting responsible and sensitive reporting on cases of sexual violence against children include:

Developing more effective training programs for journalists
Implementing more effective law enforcement for media companies that violate the PPRA and SPPA Law
Promoting the importance of sensitive and child-friendly reports through public awareness campaigns
Encouraging media companies to provide clear direction and support to journalists
Advocating for policy changes that promote responsible and sensitive reporting on cases of sexual violence against children.

Q: What are some of the resources available for female journalists who want to learn more about the PPRA guidelines and how to apply them in practice?

A: Some of the resources available for female journalists who want to learn more about the PPRA guidelines and how to apply them in practice include:

The Press Council of Indonesia's website, which provides information on the PPRA guidelines and other SOPs
The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) website, which provides information on child-friendly reporting and other resources for journalists
The Indonesian Women's Journalists Forum (FJPI) website, which provides information on training and support programs for female journalists
Online training programs and webinars on child-friendly reporting and other topics related to the PPRA guidelines.

Q: How can readers get involved in promoting responsible and sensitive reporting on cases of sexual violence against children?

A: Readers can get involved in promoting responsible and sensitive reporting on cases of sexual violence against children by:

Encouraging media companies to provide clear direction and support to journalists
Promoting the importance of sensitive and child-friendly reports through public awareness campaigns
Advocating for policy changes that promote responsible and sensitive reporting on cases of sexual violence against children
Supporting organizations that provide training and support to journalists on child-friendly reporting and other topics related to the PPRA guidelines.