Jakarta, Feb. 23 -- The Ministry of Women's Empowerment and Child Protection called for a stronger role of community-based child protection groups to prevent and support the handling of violence against children.

The ministry's Acting Deputy of Special Protection for Children, Indra Gunawan, when contacted here on Monday, explained that this step is needed to bolster the education for the public through various channels, including religious activities.

Apart from that, he said, those groups can also respond to cases of violence by referring the victims to the nearest service centers.

This statement was made in response to the death of a 12-year-old boy in Sukabumi District, West Java, who allegedly suffered severe abuse at the hands of...