The group of Sahabat Kapas and members of the Wonogiri Regency PPKB and P3A Office arrived at 09.30 WIB. That day (5/11), we visited one of the primary schools in Wonogiri District to provide psychosocial assistance and assertive training for children victims of sexual violence. In accordance with the information we obtained from the PPKB and P3A Wonogiri Service, the children we will meet experience sexual violence carried out by their own sports teacher. The children who will take part in the assistance with us that day were 22 girls from two different schools.
Arriving at the location, we were welcomed by teachers from the school representative. According to one teacher, we were informed that the school felt it was quite difficult when it had to provide psychosocial assistance for children. The teacher also feels that he does not have many alternative activities and adequate infrastructure to divert children’s attention from the sad events that befall them. One teacher revealed that the school did not have sufficient books. Therefore, schools are very grateful if there are parties who can provide reading books as a means of positive transfer of children from the events that befall them.
The school hopes that the assistance and assertive training activities carried out by the PPKB and P3A services with Sahabat Kapas can slightly reduce the psychosocial burden borne by children. The school also wants that in the future there will be specific guidelines aimed at schools for handling cases of school violence experienced by their students. With these guidelines, teachers can follow up psychosocial mentoring programs independently and can provide the special attention needed by children.
Dare to Say “NO”
We started the day’s activities by praying and singing “Finger Song”
The children accompanied by around four teachers welcomed us to the school mosque. They look a little shy. After a brief opening from representatives of Wonogiri’s PPKB and P3A Service, Ms. Rodhiyati, the event continued with an introduction and a brief presentation of the day’s activities. The children listened with an orderly explanation given and seemed enthusiastic to take part in the activity.
To build a cheerful atmosphere, we started the activity by inviting the children to sing and demonstrate “Finger Song”. After we feel that children can accept our presence, our activities continue with role play. We divide the children into groups, each group consists of 5-6 children who will be accompanied by one Cotton volunteer. We deliberately make group activities to train inter-group cooperation and build closeness to each other.
Each group has its own names, we decided to name the group with the Blue Boats, Purple Boats, Green Boats, and Red Boats. Each boat will get an assignment to play a role with a different theme. The Biru Boat got the theme of cheating; Green boats have the theme of extortion in the school environment; Purple Boats play a role with the theme of lighting in the form of food at school; and the Red Boat played a role themed cheating. All groups are given time to discuss the role to be played. Each group will later get about 10 minutes to display the dramatization of the planned role.
This role playing activity is one of the media to train children’s assertiveness. With this assertive training, children are expected to have the ability to communicate what they want, feel, and think about in others but still maintain and respect the rights and feelings of others. By playing roles, children are placed in a condition where they have to be brave enough to communicate their wishes and dare to say NO to things they don’t want. Especially, children must dare to refuse treatment or things that make them feel uncomfortable.
From the role played by Perahu Biru, our children trained to dare to refuse cheating and choose honest actions. Children realize that cheating is not good. Therefore, they must dare to reject the bad deeds. Instead, they must get used to being honest. We hope that this attitude of bravery against bad actions is not only used in cheating situations, but in other situations that require the courage of children to refuse. Like the role played by the Biru Boat, the Red Boat group also plays a role that requires children to be honest. In addition, children can learn to forgive each other for friends who cheat.
