REGULATION AND COUNTERMEASURES FOR CRIMINAL ACTS OF VIOLENCE AGAINST CHILDREN IN ACEH PROVINCE

Abstract

This study analyzes the regulatory framework for combating criminal acts of violence against children in Aceh Province. Through its special autonomy, Aceh implements the Qanun Jinayat as an instrument of Islamic criminal law to address this issue. However, the existing regulatory complexity has not automatically reduced the incidence of child violence. Using a normative legal research method with legislative and case approaches, this study finds that despite a comprehensive legal framework ranging from the Aceh Governance Law, the Child Protection Qanun, to the Jinayat Qanun cases of physical, psychological, sexual violence, and neglect against children actually showed an increasing trend during the 2012-2018 period. A crucial finding reveals that the sanctions in the Jinayat Qanun tend to be lighter than the provisions in the national Child Protection Law, potentially reducing their deterrent effect. The main obstacles lie in weak implementation, ineffective inter-institutional coordination, and a lack of synchronization between local and national criminal law. Therefore, this study recommends the need to strengthen regulatory harmonization, enhance the capacity of law enforcement officials, and improve child protection mechanisms to ensure the effectiveness of combating violence against children in Aceh.