Theme 1: The Call to Serve
1.Sister Fransiska, your work with TRUK F is clearly a profound mission. How did your personal journey lead you to this vocation of accompanying women and child survivors of violence?
Since childhood, my parents taught me to help the sick and those in need, even though we ourselves were not very well off in our family. However, giving from our own scarcity made my heart grow even more eager to help those in need. I am happy and grateful to have the experience of serving more people in my current mission assignment with the Flores Humanitarian Volunteer Team (TRUK F). Because here, with the experience of God that I have gained through the guidance of my formators, I am strengthened in my conviction that this is the mission God wants me to do and that this is the true mission of the SSpS: to serve those who are experiencing difficulties in life.
2.The Global Sisters Report article mentions you consider yourself a “survivor” because of the domestic abuse you witnessed in your childhood. How does that personal experience shape your daily ministry and your connection with the women at the shelter?
Living in poverty meant that my parents struggled to overcome all kinds of difficulties, which often led to arguments between them. I often witnessed this. From that experience, when I entered the SSpS congregation, I underwent personal processing with the help of the formators, and I discovered God’s extraordinary goodness. God changed me when I accepted that experience as a blessing. I was able to experience closeness with the victims because I had experienced loneliness and tears. God knew my struggles. “God will accomplish it for me” is the motto of my calling, Mz.138;8.
3.What was the moment or the story that made you realize this wasn’t just a job, but your life’s mission?
The moment when, before my perpetual vows, I participated in a 30-day retreat during my probationary period, I gained complete certainty that this was my path in life and my calling. I struggled to forgive those who had hurt me in the past, I forgave them, and since then I have felt that God has given me many blessings: the grace to be quickly moved by the suffering of others, the grace to be willing to sacrifice, and the grace to give of myself in any situation. I have been on mission at TRUK F for almost 8 years now, and these graces have begun to grow. I see that there is always a way out of every difficulty. God has never left me. That is what makes me certain.
Theme 2: The Ministry and Its Foundations
1. Could you describe a typical day for you as the coordinator of TRUK F? What are the key responsibilities that fill your hours?
My work at TRUK F is more or less as follows: Deciding and determining the highest rules and policies of the institution; Responsible for leading and implementing the Vision and Mission of the Institution; Together with the finance department, designing and approving the Program Budget Plan based on the Project Agreement.
Reviewing all financial reports and activity narrative reports; Preparing reports for donors and the Advisory Board in accordance with the provisions of the Project Agreement; Together with the victim assistance staff, I am responsible for psychological assistance, litigation and non-litigation assistance, and advocacy; I coordinate and oversee all of the organization’s activities and check the staff’s activity reports every month as well as check the organization’s financial condition; I appoint and dismiss staff who are unable to carry out the program in accordance with the organization’s vision and mission, adhering to the provisions of the Project Agreement.
2. You lead an organization co-founded by your congregation, the Missionary Sisters Servants of the Holy Spirit (SSpS). How is the crucial work at TRUK F directly connected to our congregation’s wider safeguarding program and our commitment to protecting the vulnerable?
This organization was founded in response to the widespread violence and injustice that occurred in the 1990s and 2000s. Several SVD priests and Sr. Eustochia Monika Nata SSpS, since the beginning of the Women’s Division as one of the three divisions within TRUK F, have been diligently paying attention to the fulfillment and protection of women and children who are victims of violence. The victims are those who suffer and are wounded. TRUK F’s task is to take part in the mission of the Church and the mission of the congregation founded by St. Arnold Janssen, which is to walk with those who suffer and fight alongside them to give them a sign of hope in the midst of difficulties and challenges that are not easy. Women and children are vulnerable groups, and living in a strong patriarchal culture leaves no room for freedom for women and children. TRUK F is here to empower women and children so that their rights are protected and respected by many people, including the state.
3. How does your life as a Holy Spirit Sister inform the way you approach this work? Are there particular spiritualities or charisms that guide you, especially on the most difficult days?
I experienced God’s love for me, which was extraordinary. From my past experiences, God’s grace worked in me through my mentors, and I am grateful that I was able to find God’s grace, which became my reason to help others as well. I have a motto, “God will accomplish it for me” (Psalm 138:8). This motto is very powerful for me. When I first received this assignment in 2021, I was only 31 years old and I lacked confidence, feeling insignificant, but I remembered the words of Mother Maria Helena Stolenwerk that every task entrusted to us is a gift from God. Don’t complain and just believe that God will fill you with His grace if you feel burdened in carrying it out. I believed, and I saw God open many doors for me. There was a lot of support from within the SVD and SSpS congregations for this work, and God sent many good people to contribute to this mission. I believe that God always has a way to help me through every difficulty. The most important thing for me is to work with my heart because Sister Eustochia always reminds me that the victims are the face of Jesus. And that is also my motivation in my ministry. This mission is God’s mission. If God wills it, it will surely happen even though there are many challenges.
Theme 3: Building a Network of Hope (Collaborations)
1. TRUK F is a powerful example of collaboration in action. Can you tell us more about your partnership with the Divine Word Missionaries (SVD), particularly with Fr. Laurens Woda and Fr. Ignasius Ledot, and how this priest-sister collaboration strengthens your mission?
The mission at TRUK F is the mission of the SVD and SSpS. This spirit of cooperation has existed since the beginning. We continue to maintain it. Several priests, such as Fr. Ignas Ledot SVD, Fr. Otto Gusti SVD, Fr. Lorens Woda SVD, Fr. Avent Saur SVD, Br. Pio Hayon SVD, Fr. Charis SVD, and Fr. Muceh Bakang SVD, are TRUK F volunteers who are also active in JPIC SVD. We always hold regular meetings together to discuss advocacy plans, outreach to victims (in remote and dangerous places, we are always together), joint evaluations, celebrate the Eucharist together, and always communicate with each other in every activity. The presence of SVD is very important for this mission. Sometimes we share roles in accompanying victims and perpetrators. The SVD priests accompany the perpetrators and we accompany the victims, especially in cases of domestic violence. But it is also about temporary shelters; the SVD house also becomes a temporary shelter for victims in emergency situations because the TRUK F safe house is already well known to many people and that would disturb the victims’ situation. So we often work together to protect victims from harm that may be inflicted by the perpetrators.
2. Your advocacy work has taken you from local police stations to the national level. What is your experience collaborating with government bodies, like the West Java governor’s office, to ensure justice for survivors?
Yes, TRUK F has a network from the local to the national level and even to the international level, namely with Vivat International. For the case of 13 victims of exploitation at the Eltras pub, initially when I received a text message asking for help from one of the workers, “Please get me out of here, sister,” I coordinated with the police. Then, through the national network, this case reached the ears of the West Java governor. The governor called me and assured me that he would come to Maumere to pick up the victims. We have good cooperation with the police because in every case involving women and children, especially sexual violence and domestic violence that leads to legal proceedings, we always work together. We are the victims’ advocates. We always work together to ensure the victims’ rights to treatment, protection, and recovery. In addition to the police, we also work with local and central government. We strive to advocate for the rights of victims that are neglected by the government and law enforcement officials. If legal cases are stalled and detrimental to the victims, we take advocacy measures, starting with writing letters and holding hearings. If there is no change, we hold peaceful demonstrations together with the HA M Sikka network, which consists of JPIC SVD, JPIC SSpS, BEM IFTK, and civil society networks.
3. Networks like Vivat International are dedicated to promoting human dignity and justice. How does TRUK F’s collaboration with organizations like Vivat International, or other non-government organizations, amplify your efforts in advocacy and resource mobilization?
Yes, Vivat International is one of TRUK F’s network partners. Every year, TRUK F sends reports directly to Vivat Indonesia and Vivat International through Fr. Paul Rahmat SVD. I am always asked to write articles and reports on cases involving women and children, as well as human trafficking, to be used as advocacy material by Vivat International. TRUK F is also a member of 83 service provider institutions in Indonesia. This network makes it very easy for us to advocate for cases and policies at the national level, as well as at the regional level. Every issue from Flores that is raised by TRUK F and conveyed to Vivat International is very important and useful for policy change, which is more favorable to victims. Even though the change is very slow, this advocacy must continue to be carried out.
4. You’ve also worked with national bodies like Indonesia’s National Commission on Violence Against Women and the Witness and Victim Protection Agency (LPSK). How do these collaborations at the highest level help you protect the women and children in your care?
These national institutions play a very important role for us. In major cases such as human trafficking, to provide protection and fulfill the rights of victims, we definitely ask for assistance from LPSK and Komnas HAM, and Komnas Perempuan is the institution we ask to put pressure on law enforcement officials to speed up the legal process and monitor the course of the legal process with due regard for the fulfillment of victims’ rights, such as handling, protection, and recovery.
Theme 4: Impact and Transformation
1. Evi Bota Sao’s declaration, “We are new women,” is so powerful. Beyond the immediate safety the shelter provides, what does the journey of becoming a “new woman” look like for the survivors you accompany? (Draws directly from the core theme of the original article).
The SHG Self Help Group is a group we formed with members who are survivors and families of survivors with the aim of supporting and empowering each other. We have provided them with capacity building on gender, forms of violence, how to respond, trauma healing, and advocacy for victims’ rights at the village level. We just formed this group in October 2025. Currently, one of the staff members at TRUK F is conducting visits and monitoring to continue supporting them.
2. You’ve helped thousands of women through TRUK F. Is there a recent story, perhaps of a young woman or a family, that gives you particular hope and reminds you why this work is so vital?
One small incident involved handling the case of 13 victims who had been at our shelter for exactly one month. One of them had severe trauma and attempted suicide. I tried to hug her and said, “Calm down… don’t be afraid… I’m here…” I repeated this until she calmed down. Then I asked her to leave the shelter for a moment. She was traumatized because she had experienced violence at home and also at the Eltras Pub. She had a very hard time hearing loud noises. I have been meeting with them quite intensely. I remained quiet when they were about to leave for the airport on February 23rd when they were picked up by the Governor. I didn’t have time to hug them one by one, but she came to me, hugged me, and said thank you very much. Then she gave me a letter. In the letter, she shared a lot about her personal experiences while at the TRUK F shelter and how she felt when she met me. She called me “Ibu” (mother). This word was enough to make her smile and give her hope again when she was feeling down. When he had lost hope, he realized that there were still people who cared about him. I also realized that… yes, being a home for others is very important. It doesn’t have to be in big ways, but with your presence and loving embrace, you can give hope back to those who are afraid. This experience reminded me that this mission is important. Many people have lost hope.
3. The recent case involving the 13 women rescued from a nightclub in Maumere gained significant attention. Can you share how TRUK F’s immediate response and ongoing accompaniment is making a difference in their lives right now?
On January 20, 2026, a victim sent me a WhatsApp message, begging for help to be gotten out of Pub Eltras because she felt pressured, depressed, and was not allowed to leave her room. On January 21, 2026, Coordination and Rescue: I immediately coordinated with the Women and Children Service Unit (PPA) of the Sikka Police. A joint team then went to Pub Eltras. I asked the pub owner for permission to meet the victim who sent the message, while the police stood guard outside. This process succeeded in securing one woman, a victim of TIP (Trafficking in Persons).
On January 21-22, I received the same message from 3 new numbers, and they immediately sent the names of those who wanted to leave and a number of pieces of evidence that existed and were recorded on their phones. I then reported this to the police. Because the number was large, I didn’t want TRUK F to go in alone; it had to be with the police. This led to the securing of 11 other women, one of whom was already at the police station for a follow-up examination from the initial report by the first woman. That night, initial statements were taken immediately, and we accompanied them until 3 in the morning, and all of them arrived at the shelter. While at the shelter, we provided counseling support, health services, and legal assistance. For the follow-up examinations during this one-month legal process, we asked the police to come to the TRUK F office to take statements to ensure the safety of the victims.
Together with the Sikka Human Rights Network (which includes TRUK-F, JPIC SSpS, JPIC SVD Ende, the Student Executive Board of IFTK Ledalero, the Student Executive Board of Universitas Nusa Nipa, the Candraditya Research Centre Maumere, and other civil society elements), we conducted a series of systematic advocacy actions and social control.
Policy Advocacy and Public Pressure: Public Hearing at the Sikka DPRD (February 9, 2026): The Sikka Human Rights Network, accompanied by Sister Ika and several victims (such as Novi Ayunda), held a public hearing with the Sikka DPRD. In this forum, they revealed new facts, including alleged violence and threats by rogue police officers. They urged the DPRD to:
- Form an independent investigation task force.
- Promote a fair legal process for all parties involved.
- Ensure the Social Service and the Office of Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection guarantee the safety and well-being of the victims.
- Audit all nightlife establishments in Sikka to prevent similar cases.
- Review Regional Regulation No. 1 of 2018 on Public Order to be more human-rights oriented.
Monitoring the Legal Process and Investigation: Guarding the Suspect Determination: The Sikka Human Rights Network intensively monitored the investigation process at the Sikka Police. They were critical of the slowness of the suspect determination process and urged the police to be transparent. Finally, on February 23, 2026, the two suspects, the husband and wife owners of the pub, were named suspects.
Negotiation and Guarantee of Victim Protection: Coordination with Local Government: I communicated with the Governor of West Java, Dedi Mulyadi, who planned to pick up the victims. Although there were initial concerns that repatriation would disrupt the legal process, we eventually agreed on the condition of a written commitment from the West Java Provincial Government to guarantee the victims’ presence if needed as witnesses in court.
Theme 5: Challenges and the Road Ahead
1. You’ve been fearless in taking cases to the highest levels, even demanding the National Police take over investigations. What are the biggest obstacles you still face in seeking justice for victims of trafficking and violence in a place like Flores? (Addresses the systemic challenges mentioned in the search results about stalled cases ).
The biggest obstacle is the conspiracy and involvement of law enforcement officials, which prevents these TIP cases from being revealed transparently. None of the cases we have advocated for have been successfully investigated by the police down to the roots. Only those who are visible on the surface are arrested. Human trafficking is a syndicate, a network of crimes against humanity. So law enforcement also tends to use articles from the Manpower Law rather than the TIP Law. This is extremely unfair for victims and does not create a deterrent effect for the public.
Besides that, another challenge is that the policies made by the government truly do not provide protection for victims. There is no meaningful oversight from the government, no empowerment in terms of knowledge and economy, nor proper education for the community. Victims actually experience layered violence; they have been tortured, trafficked, but they also receive labeling that is very painful and demeaning to their dignity as human beings. The very strong patriarchal culture places women in an unequal position. Women do not have enough space to express themselves and voice their opinions. They are always blamed and ostracized from the community if they truly want to fight against the injustice they have experienced.
2. The data you presented to the Lembata parliament about HIV/AIDS and child exploitation is stark . How do you use this evidence to advocate for systemic change, and what kind of response are you hoping for from local governments? (Shows her strategic, data-driven approach to advocacy).
For Lembata, we haven’t done much yet. This is also part of our collaboration with JPIC SVD and SSpS. We are currently developing a strategic plan for the future to conduct advocacy related to the increasing number of HIV and AIDS cases. A major challenge is that the government does not have a budget for those affected by HIV and AIDS. We held a meeting with the Regent of Lembata and the Lembata DPRD to discuss this two years ago, but until now there has been no significant follow-up on this issue. So, moving forward, we will conduct further advocacy with the local government and the Lembata DPRD.
3. What is your dream for TRUK F and for the women of Flores in the next five to ten years? What would lasting change look like?
I dream that all women live in an equal world where women are empowered and able to compete in all aspects of life. I dream that the children in Flores live in a safe environment, free from violence. I dream that the government, law enforcement officials, and all members of society share the same perspective in providing protection for women and children. I dream that there will be no more crimes against humanity. Happiness in life is the right of every human being.
