I have been participating in Stube-HEMAT Bengkulu since October 2021, I learned many benefits, especially about social topics that are rarely discussed on campus. In January, Stube-HEMAT Bengkulu activists at STTAB Campus held a discussion on Women & Children Protection in Bengkulu, with a sub-theme Perspectives on the Life of Women and Children of Nias and Mentawai ethnic as an Effort to Understand the Problem of Violence Against Women and Children in Bengkulu (31/1/2022).

The Stube HEMAT Bengkulu meeting at STTAB applied a dialogue model. The discussion started by listening to one of Nias students about the lives of women and children. Elboy Gulo said, “Women in Nias are very well-cared in the family. When a woman grows up and she is about to get married, there will be "jujuran" (dowry) that must be given by the man. The more educated of a woman, the higher dowry will be. At the past, the Nias women were prohibited to go to school, because their parents could not afford the school fees. The high dowry made Nias women difficult to get husbands. There are cases when the married family is more focused to pay off the dowry than to fulfill the children's needs, and the economic difficulties hinder them to afford higher education. However, nowadays women nearly have the same position as men.”

Furthermore, Ajupendi Sakerebau from Mentawai explained, “Women in Mentawai ethnic are highly valued. In the past, they were not free to get an education, because they only focused on their families. Now, they have the opportunity to get education. Women do not inherit wealth from their parents, because when they marry, they will inherit from their husbands. In the process of getting married, the man first asked the woman’s uncle aboutthe dowry, while the parents did not charge a high dowry. When the women are allowed to study, their parents emphasize them to live in dormitories than boarding houses. Children need to be taken care of because they are the family’s special treasure. They need to be educated but there are still parents who are not supportive.”

Kristin Oktaviani, a counselor at an orphanage in Bengkulu shared her experience, “There is a 3rd-grade elementary school student who got sexual violence from his neighbor because his parents often leave him at home for work. When the parents reported to the police, the perpetrator distorted the facts and it traumatized the child greatly. There are also cases of children being used as an intermediary for drug abuse”

Linistiasi Gea provided data related to cases of violence against women and children, “In Bengkulu in 2016 there were cases of violence, rape, and murder of a young girl named Yuyun by 14 men. On November 7, 2017 in Kota Lekat Village, Kec. Ulu Palik, North Bengkulu, a 14-year-old girl was raped by 20 men. And the latest data on November 16, 2021, there was a rape case against 4 young women by 7 men, one of the perpetrators was a State Civil Apparatus (ASN).”

From the three presentations, the discussion began to integrate the context of cultural thought in Nias, Mentawai, and the cases in Bengkulu to find solutions or positive ideas. Peemi Guswita Zalukhu stated, "The positive value of the Nias and Mentawai ethnic is to respect women and be responsible to children. Thus, the values are needed to be learned in Bengkulu, to be positive respecting women and protecting children."

While Aprima Heppy Halawa stated, ”Nias and Mentawai culture has been open to provide an opportunity to women and children to school, it should be continued to encourage the lives of women and children as well as parents to promote education for women and children so that they have insight and wisdom in life.”

Finally, I stated that: "it is necessary to equip with knowledge of the law on the protection of women and children, so, when the theology students find the violence case, they can act wisely, reporting to the authorities."

The discussion was closed by Made Nopen Supriadi, a STTAB lecturer. He concluded that the theology students must show sensitivity toward women and children who are victims of violence by being ready to become counselors for them, brave to act, and report to the authorities if they know the violent case against women and children. He invited the students to integrate cultural knowledge of both Nias and Mentawai that respect women and protect children is also carried out in Bengkulu. He also emphasized that the theology students should set an example of a high moral-dignified life, not only for themselves but also for human beings, especially for women and children's protection. ***