Synchronization Of Institutional Authorities in the Protection of Women and Children from the Threat of Exploitation

Abstract

Women and children are among the most vulnerable groups and frequently become the primary targets of various forms of exploitation, including economic and sexual exploitation. Although the state has established numerous institutions tasked with providing protection, overlapping authorities among these agencies often result in delays and inefficiencies in case handling. This article examines the urgency of synchronizing institutional authorities in the protection of women and children from the threat of exploitation. Using a normative legal research method, this study highlights three main issues. First, it analyzes the existing condition in which institutions such as the Indonesian National Police, the Ministry of Women's Empowerment and Child Protection (KemenPPPA), the Ministry of Social Affairs (Kemensos), and the Witness and Victim Protection Agency (LPSK) frequently operate independently without effective coordination. Second, it explores the adverse effects of sectoral ego and institutional fragmentation, which ultimately harm victims by prolonging bureaucratic processes and delaying recovery efforts. Third, it proposes the establishment of an integrated onestop service system based on the concept of an Integrated Criminal Justice System to harmonize the roles and responsibilities of relevant institutions. This study concludes that effective protection requires the elimination of bureaucratic barriers through a unified regulatory framework that mandates cooperation among all state institutions. Such synchronization is essential to ensuring victim-centered justice, accelerating recovery processes, and strengthening the state's commitment to protecting women and children from all forms of exploitation.