Five years have passed since the earthquake struck Donggala Regency, Central Sulawesi Province, in September 2018. However, the recovery process for residents in Tompe Village, Sirenja District, still presents challenges. A number of residents continue to reside in temporary shelters (huntap), indicating that the journey towards full recovery is ongoing. To date, 340 temporary shelters are still occupied by Tompe Village residents.
This displacement has not only affected physical aspects but has also created profound social impacts. The number of Domestic Violence (KDRT) cases in Tompe Village has increased since the disaster, allegedly triggered by economic and social instability.
Before the earthquake, the economy of Tompe residents was largely self-sufficient, with the majority relying on seafood catches as their primary livelihood. Husbands or men in the families typically worked as fishermen, while their wives sold the catches. However, the 2018 earthquake altered this dynamic. Many residents were forced to change professions or experienced a decline in sales, consequently facing a significant drop in their daily income.
One Tompe resident, Mrs. Fatnur, stated that before the disaster, she could earn Rp600,000 a day by selling fish door-to-door. After the 2018 earthquake, her income dropped by half. “[I sell fish] from 7:00 AM WITA until 11:00 AM WITA. If not all sold, I continue from 3:00 PM WITA until 7:00 PM. Sometimes it sells out, sometimes it doesn’t. If everything sells, the income is Rp300,000,” Mrs. Fatnur explained. This decrease in income was due to a decline in community purchasing power after the disaster.
The shift in livelihoods for many residents was confirmed by Tompe Village Head, Mr. Herdi. A number of fishermen were compelled to switch professions to farming due to their temporary shelters being located in the mountains. Previously, they were fishermen whose homes were situated by the sea. Nevertheless, Mr. Herdi affirmed that many residents also engage in dual occupations – both as fishermen and farmers – to meet their needs.
In addition to altering economic conditions, the adaptation process from homes to temporary shelters after the disaster is reported to have increased domestic violence cases in the village. “There is a slight percentage [increase in domestic violence]. We cannot quantify it, but there is an increase. Due to economic hardship, a life of scarcity triggers emotions,” said Mr. Herdi.
He added that the domestic violence cases occurring since he took office as village head in 2020 are cases leading to divorce. Typically, such cases can be resolved through family discussion or mediation. “If it’s sexual assault, mediation is not an option. I must escalate it to the authorities (police). Thankfully, in Tompe Village, no such [sexual assault] cases have been reported to this day,” he added.
The occurrence of Domestic Violence prompted Herdi to seek ways to educate his residents about violence and its impacts. After attending a workshop on handling sexual violence organized by the Central Sulawesi Women’s Equality Advocacy Group (KPKP-ST) in 2022, he began to gain insight. In November 2023, he initiated a socialization program for residents, involving various stakeholders such as the police, prosecutor’s office, and the Donggala Regency Office of Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection (DP3A). To support this activity, he allocated funds from the Village Fund budget.
“I allocated Rp23,275,000 for a socialization program on [violence against] women, which was directly opened by the [DP3A] Office and involved 50 residents and community leaders,” he added.
Additionally, he formed a PPA Task Force in his village. “In early 2023, after friends from [KPKP-ST] invited us [to the workshop], we gained a better understanding. I am grateful for the knowledge gained there, and this indeed needs to be implemented in the community,” he asserted.
Between August and December 2023, KPKP-ST, with the support of IPAS Indonesia Foundation, conducted 10 workshop activities related to strengthening the commitment of village governments to promote policy innovation and budgetary support for the prevention of gender-based violence. The workshops were attended by 249 participants from village representatives in Donggala and Sigi Regencies.