Protecting Children from Digital Sextortion: Integrating Indonesian Law and Maqasid al-Shariah

Abstract

The increasing use of digital platforms has exposed children to new forms of technology-facilitated sexual violence, including sextortion. Although Indonesian law provides several legal instruments for addressing electronic sexual violence, the regulation and protection of child victims remain fragmented, while the potential contribution of Islamic legal principles to a preventive and victim-centered framework has received limited attention. This study examines the legal protection of children from digital sextortion and develops an integrative framework based on Indonesian law and maqasid al-shariah. It employs normative juridical research using statutory and conceptual approaches. The legal materials include the Criminal Code, legislation on electronic information and transactions, child protection, pornography, and sexual violence, complemented by Islamic legal sources and relevant scholarly literature. The materials were analyzed through legal interpretation, comparative analysis, and maqasid-based normative assessment. The findings demonstrate that Indonesian law provides an increasingly specific basis for prosecuting electronic sexual violence, particularly through the TPKS Law, but important challenges remain concerning regulatory fragmentation, digital evidence, victim protection, and enforcement capacity. From the perspective of maqasid al-shariah, child sextortion simultaneously threatens the protection of life, dignity and lineage, intellect, and property. The study argues that integrating positive law with maqasid-based protection produces a more comprehensive model combining prosecution, victim recovery, prevention, digital literacy, and protection of children's dignity. This integrative framework contributes to developing a child-centered response to emerging forms of digital sexual violence.