The Little Girl and Her Tragic Life

EH (9) has already tasted the bitter side of life when she was abandoned by her mother on the streets, forcing her to rummage through trash to find food and exposing her to sexual harassment on several occasions.

KOMPAS/TOTOK WIJAYANTO

A boy looks out from a cart while a woman carries a toddler on Saturday (23/11/2019) in the Bintaro area of South Tangerang, Banten.

At nine years of age, EH has already tasted the bitter side of life when she was abandoned by her mother on the streets, forcing her to rummage through trash to find food and exposing her to sexual harassment on several occasions.

EH lives with her father. They are scavengers in Senen, Central Jakarta. They sleep in any place they can find to lie down: on floors, by the street or on benches at roadside food stalls. Before Senen, they lived around Manggarai in South Jakarta.

EH has never had formal education. Fortunately, while staying in Senen, she was asked to join classes for free at Bingkai Jalanan, a school for underprivileged children near the Senen Bus Terminal. It was here that she learned how to read. On Sunday (17/11/2019) evening, Bingkai Jalanan teacher Amelia Dwi Putri was with EH.

“The first time she met her mother and father, EH asked her aunt who they were,” Amelia said.

EH had lived with her aunt in Pandeglang, Banten, since she was a baby. When she met her parents three or four years ago, she did not recognize them at all.

Upon reuniting with her mother, it was not love that EH received. One day, her mother hopped on a motorcycle taxi and left her. Hungry, EH eventually found food after a kind stranger gave some to her. She was then found by a neighbor who recognized her and returned her to her aunt. Afterward, EH lived with her father as scavengers in Jakarta.

KOMPAS/TOTOK WIJAYANTO

A street teen in silver body makeup earns money as a living statue on Friday (22/11/2019) at Tebet railway station in East Jakarta.

When she lived at the park across the street from the Manggarai train station, she once felt someone grope her breast while she was sleeping. She stayed quiet and did not dare to resist.

In October, Bingkai Jalanan teachers were shocked by EH’s story. When she was browsing through photographs on a cellphone belonging to a person known by the children in Senen as “grandfather”, EH found photographs of herself sleeping. In some of the photographs, her clothes were a little opened and her body exposed. Upon remembering, she did not feel that the “grandfather” figure touched her while she was sleeping. However, she remembered finding the zipper of her pants opened when she awoke. The “grandfather” was known to be close with children in the Senen area.

EH’s father knows about the incident but has kept quiet to avoid any trouble. Frustrated, one Bingkai Jalanan teacher let her live at her home to better protect her. The teachers have told EH to fend off whoever tries to touch her inappropriately.

Two of the perpetrators are a father and his son.

Bingkai Jalanan founder Hestiana Kiftia said a boy identified as A had also been sexually assaulted. His mother suffers from mental illness and cannot protect him. A has never showed up for Bingkai Jalanan classes after his mother was attacked in Senen.

Another girl participating in Bingkai Jalanan classes, DI, had also been sexually assaulted numerous times. DI usually sleeps at Senen Market. “Two of the perpetrators are a father and his son,” Hestiana said.

Data from the Jakarta Empowerment, Child Protection and Population Control Agency show that 224 of 585 cases of violence against children that the agency tackled between January and September this year were sexual violence cases. It is possible that this is merely the tip of an iceberg in the phenomenon of sexual violence against children, especially those living on the streets.

KOMPAS/RIZA FATHONI

Two underage girls loiter on Tuesday (19/11/2019) on a sidewalk near an intersection in the Gelora area, Central Jakarta. The victims of adult exploitation, many children in the capital are forced to work late into the night, begging on the streets. A comprehensive solution is needed from all stakeholders to tackle this violation of children’s rights.

Alcohol and drugs

There is also the story of AAS, 18, who witnessed the death of his friend R. AAS said that, when he was about to go busking in Depok, West Java, he found R lying under a highway, foaming at the mouth. R died after consuming bootleg liquor and illegal drugs. The incident that took place six years ago has left a mental scar on AAS, who is also a street child.

“I watched him die with my own eyes. It was scary,” AAS said.

AAS continued that death by bootleg liquor and narcotics was quite common among street children. Getting high on glue is also common. Under the influence of alcohol, narcotics and glue, incidents of street children getting hit by or jumping from trains were common, AAS said.

I watched him die with my own eyes. It was scary.

According to him, street children usually gather in spots hidden from police or locals when consuming the illegal substances. “There is always someone selling the substances. It is so easy to obtain them,” AAS said. As long as you have money, no matter the amount, you can always find drugs to buy. Being involved in the vicious circle as drug dealers and users at the “bottom” of the chain is part of daily life.

“Those who are still surviving usually continue using [the substances]. Many are addicted. It’s just about whose turn it is [to die],” AAS said.

Afraid of death, AAS said he had stopped using drugs, despite still living and busking on the streets. EH, meanwhile, has found somewhere safe to live. Other street children are still waiting for their turn – either to be saved or to die in vain. Which will happen first?