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Report shows state offers inadequate protection
Indonesian women remain susceptible to gender-based violence due to the state’s protracted weakness and unwillingness in providing adequate protection for them, activists say
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ndonesian women remain susceptible to gender-based violence due to the state’s protracted weakness and unwillingness in providing adequate protection for them, activists say.
National Commission on Violence against Women commissioner Yustina Rostiawati said many women who had been physically or psychologically abused refused to report their cases, not only because of deep trauma or shame, but also because of a lack of support from their closest friends and relatives.
The condition had been worsened by poor access to women’s crisis centers.
“We have seen an alarming decrease in the state’s capacity in providing support and assistance for female victims of violence,” Yustina said Monday on the sidelines of a discussion accompanying the launching of 2010 Annual Report on Violence Against Women to commemorate 100 years of International Women’s Day, which falls every March 8.
Amid increasing economic problems and rising instances of violence, women were the most susceptible group to violence, suffering persistent physical, psychological, and social economic abuse, she said.
The study said reported instances of violence against women’s reached 105,103 cases in 2010, decreasing from 143,586 cases in 2009. More than 96 percent of the 105,103 cases handled by 384 women crisis centers occurred in the private sphere, followed by 3,530 cases in public sphere and 445 cases involving the state.
Of a total 101,128 cases occurring in the private sphere, 98,577 cases were related to violence against wives, followed by 1,299 cases of violence involving dating couples and 600 cases of violence against girls.
Almost a half of the 3,530 cases in the public domain concerned sexual abuse, including rape, molestation and sexual harassment.
Commissioner Yuniyanti Chuzaifah said the lower number of reported cases of violence against women in 2010 did not necessarily indicate improvement. The lower number could be a factor of a decrease in the capacity of women’s crisis centers, which are operated by the state, she said.
The annual report showed that violence against women involving the state reached 445 cases in 2010, eight times higher than 54 cases reported in 2009. The report shows that 395 cases from the 445 involved women living in slum areas who were badly affected by several evictions in Jakarta.
Ten reported cases of violence were carried out in the name of religion and morality, including women who became victims in several mosque arsons and attacks, the banning of religious activities, the imposition of the Pornography Law and human trafficking victims.
Ninik Rahayu of the national commission said the National Police had reduced their service for cases dealing with women. The National Police had abolished its special unit, called the Women and Children Service Unit, and merged it within the Women, Child and Adolescent Unit, she said.
Retno Adji Prasetiaju, deputy assistant for handling violence against women at the Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection Ministry, said the government had decreased the budget for activities on preventing gender-based violence.
She said the government allocated Rp 3 billion (US$342,000) in 2011 for a registration and reporting system for women who were victims of violence in 28 regencies and municipalities.
“For activities other than the registration and reporting system, I must tell you that we have to cut this year’s budgetary allocation by 10 percent. It is part of the government’s efforts to save the state budget,” she said. (ebf)
