Yogyakarta - Department of Women Empowerment and Child Protection of West Sumba Regency, Nusa Tenggara Timur visited Rifka Annisa, Wednesday (12/7). The visit was greeted and guided directly by Manager Division Assistance, Indiah Wahyu Andari. The visit which took place since 10:30 am starting with discussions and sharing experiences about the methods of handling victims of violence conducted by Rifka Annisa and the Department of Women Empowerment and Child Protection of West Sumba.

            Esther, one of the representatives of the Department of Women Empowerment and Child Protection of West Sumba, said that they chose Rifka Annisa as a referral because Rifka Annisa has been experienced in handling cases of violence against women and children since 1993. The meeting started with discussing the comparison of shelter owned by the Department of Women Empowerment and Child Protection of West Sumba and the one which owned by Rifka Annisa. Indiah explained if there is client who need a shelter then there are some regulations such as the client is not allowed to hold the phone and money. This is done so that the client can not be influenced by the perpetrator and keep the confidential home shelter Rifka Annisa. But that does not mean the client can not use communication tools. The Rifka Annisa just controls to know who is in contact with the client.

            “The time period for the client in the shelter maximum two weeks. And it was conveyed since the client entered the shelter but if the case is not completed until two weeks, the Rifka Annisa try to understand it,” Indiah explained. In addition, Indiah also asserted that the client who are in shelter Rifka Annisa keep doing empowerment activities such as making hand skills.

            Similar to the rules in Rifka Annisa, Esther also revealed the length of the time to stay in the shelter for only two weeks and also equipped with other facilities. She also told not only to act as a `shelter mother` but also to do double role as companion of client if the case was handled legally.

            Meanwhile, Esther explained the shelter conditions in West Sumba.  “However, the shelters in West Sumba are still very open,” she said.

            Another difference, Rifka Annisa has joined the discussion forum with other institutions in DIY Yogyakarta in the forum that addressed victims of violence against women and children (FPK2PA). While the West Sumba shelter, which until now has not followed the discussion forum with other institutions.

            “That`s our problem, we do not have a discussion forum and the shelter room is still open” Esther said. At the end of the meeting, Esther expected the guidance given by the Rifka Annisa and hoped that the Rifka Annisa could be a container discussion for the West Sumba shelter. (Ana Widiawati/Lamtiar Tambunan)

*Ana Widiawati and Lamtiar Tambunan are students intern working with Division of Public Relation and Media of Rifka Annisa.