Establishing standard operating procedures for GBV services to …

Author: Yuni Asriyanti

Rita Ramadhani, Yayasan Embun Pelangi's Shelter Head, speaks during a workshop on the awareness of law on migrant workers' rights and human trafficking. Photo: Courtesy of Yayasan Embun Pelangi "I feel so safe and secure, and finally, I can sleep comfortably on the bed ......While at the Embun Pelangi Foundation shelter, I feel safe and also learn about violence against women and how to work abroad safely regularly"

-- Bening, a survivor of trafficking, a recipient of services from the Embun Pelangi Foundation Kepulauan Riau, Indonesia -- At the beginning of the Covid-19 lockdown, Bening, 29 years old, was dismissed from her job as a domestic worker in Indonesia. However, the pandemic did not stop her from wanting to work abroad.

She found an unmissable opportunity in Malaysia on Facebook, especially for her, who only graduated from elementary school. Poverty and limited access to decent work encourage women like Bening to seek economic opportunities even though it puts them at risk of abuse, harassment, exploitation and human trafficking. The pandemic has increased women's vulnerability to trafficking, mainly via recruitment through social media.

Bening was recruited, transported and lodged on Batam Island with the promise that she would get a job in Malaysia. It turned out she was transferred to Singapore. However, Bening did not meet Singapore's COVID-19 requirements to enter and was sent back to Batam Island.

The recruiters locked her up with two other women in a house for two weeks. They were required to wash, cook, and clean the house supposedly while waiting for the subsequent job placement. They slept on the floor without proper food.

Bening and her friends were released after the Batam Barelang Police raided the house based on reports from residents who suspected an illegal shelter for human trafficking. Their case confirms the reports at the national and global levels regarding the increasing vulnerability of women to be victims of violence and human trafficking during the pandemic. The rate of human trafficking cases almost doubled in the first year of the pandemic, according to the Indonesian government, while requests for protection for witnesses or victim rose 15 percent.

The case also demonstrates how human trafficking happens in isolated spaces and a continuum of violence. Bening underwent a preliminary investigation as a victim witness at the police station for two days. The police then referred Bening and the two other victims to the Embun Pelangi Foundation (Yayasan Embun Pelangi (YEP), or "Rainbow Dew Foundation") for protection services at a transition shelter while awaiting court proceedings.

While waiting at the shelter, she prepared herself to testify. She also learned how to work abroad safely and regularly, including learning her rights as a migrant worker and knowing the forms of gender-based violence. Furthermore, Bening was in the process of recovering and strengthening herself.

Through the Safe and Fair Programme, UN Women supports YEP to ensure service delivery for the victims of violence against women and trafficking amid the pandemic restrictions. It prioritizes the principle of a victim-centred and rights-based approach, ensuring the safety and security of service providers. The support began with updating the existing YEP standard operating procedure (SOP) for service delivery for women and children subjected to violence, including women migrant workers.

"The challenge of providing services during the COVID-19 Pandemic is how to ensure that victims can still reach out for services amidst social restrictions; however, what is no less important is safeguarding the safety and security of our staff to stay healthy, take care of themselves and consistently follow health protocols," said Rita Ramadhani, head of the YEP shelter and transition house. If staff members test positive for COVID-19, victims lose access to services, she explained. The YEP SOP has been updated by referring to the Guidelines and Protocols for Handling Gender-Based Violence Cases during the COVID-19 Pandemic, which UN Women had developed in collaboration with the Ministry of Women Empowerment and Child Protection.

YEP is a community-based service provider for women and children subjected to violence and trafficking established, in 2008. YEP is located in Batam, the main transit area with a direct border with Malaysia and Singapore. At first, YEP did not provide services to victims directly, but has been since 2013 due to the upsurge of gender-based violence and human trafficking cases.

As a community-based service provider, YEP already has an SOP of service delivery for victims of violence. However, the services needed to be adjusted for the pandemic. The existing SOP must be restructured to ensure that health protocols are adhered to in each type of service provided and paying attention to the facilities and particular needs of victims and caregivers.

"Updating the SOP not only ensures that services for victims continue to run during this pandemic but also serves as a guide for us, as caregivers, to maintain our safety and security while delivering services for the victims," said Rita. Apart from updating the SOP, the case intake form must be updated to accommodate the documentation of the multifaceted incidents of gender-based violence toward women migrant workers. Gender-based violence among women migrant workers are complicated regarding the type of violence, locus, and very diverse perpetrators.

Additionally, gender-based violence experienced by women migrant workers can occur in any of the migration stages, from the recruitment and registration process, pre-departure training, during transit, at the employer's house or place of work and during returning home. Likewise, the perpetrators can be employers, middle-men, partners, family members, labour recruiters, or government officials. "The incidents experienced by women migrant workers that get the most attention in our area are trafficking in person, whereas women migrant workers experience cases of gender-based violence other than trafficking," said Irwan Setiawan - Executive Director of YEP. "This update of SOPs and case documentation forms helps us in increasing better case documentation and improving services according to the needs of victims."

The gender-based violence case documentation must accommodate the particularities of women migrant workers' experiences, which in some cases are slightly different from gender-based violence in general. This update will be the foundation for improving services for victims and evidence-based advocacy. In addition, UN Women supports implementing the updated SOP.

This support includes operational assistance to victims and security and safety facilities for caregivers and victims by providing personal protective equipment (PPE) utilized during the service delivery.

The role of community-based service providers for victims of violence is crucial and strategic, especially amid the limited availability of service institutions prepared by the government.

Community-based service institutions are closer and more accessible for the victims.