Cyber Trafficking and Online Exploitation of Women and Children: Legal Analysis, Victim Protection, and Digital Prevention Strategies in Indonesia

Abstract

This study aims to analyze cyber trafficking and online exploitation against women and children in Indonesia by examining legal protection, victim recovery, and digital prevention strategies. A normative juridical approach was employed through statutory, conceptual, and analytical approaches. The study uses primary legal materials consisting of Indonesian laws and regulations concerning human trafficking, child protection, sexual violence, electronic information, personal data protection, migrant worker protection, and ASEAN anti-trafficking instruments. Secondary legal materials include reputable journal articles with DOI, books, and institutional reports. The findings show that cyber trafficking has transformed conventional human trafficking through online recruitment, grooming, sextortion, fraudulent job advertisements, misuse of personal data, encrypted communication, and digital financial transactions. Indonesia already has a broad legal framework through the Anti-Trafficking Law, Child Protection Law, Sexual Violence Crime Law, Electronic Information and Transactions Law, Personal Data Protection Law, Migrant Worker Protection Law, and regional cooperation under ACTIP. However, implementation remains challenged by fragmented regulation, limited digital investigation capacity, cross-border jurisdiction, weak platform accountability, and insufficient trauma-informed recovery services. This article proposes a 5P model consisting of prevention, protection, prosecution, partnership, and platform governance.