Indonesia's Legal Framework Against Online Child Sexual Exploitation and Trafficking

Abstract

The rapid expansion of digital technologies has transformed the nature of child exploitation, creating new forms of online sexual abuse and technology-facilitated human trafficking. Indonesia faces increasing challenges in protecting children from online grooming, sextortion, child sexual abuse material (CSAM), and trafficking conducted through social media and digital platforms. This study aims to analyze the adequacy of Indonesia’s legal framework in protecting child victims of online sexual exploitation and technology-facilitated trafficking. Employing normative juridical research, the study examines relevant legislation, including Law No. 35 of 2014 concerning Child Protection, Law No. 21 of 2007 concerning the Eradication of Human Trafficking, Law No. 12 of 2022 concerning Sexual Violence Crimes, and Law No. 1 of 2024 concerning Electronic Information and Transactions. The analysis is supported by reports from UNICEF, ECPAT, and other empirical studies on online child exploitation in Indonesia. The findings indicate that although Indonesia has established a relatively comprehensive legal framework, significant challenges remain, including legal fragmentation, underreporting of cases, limited digital forensic capacity, and insufficient inter-agency coordination. The study argues that strengthening child safeguarding policies, harmonizing relevant legislation, and enhancing institutional capacity are essential to ensure effective protection of children in the digital environment.