Issue: Governor asks women to dress accordingly

Women’s scorn: A group of women hold placards protesting against Jakarta Governor Fauzi Bowo on Sunday for blaming victims following recent rapes on public buses. The women urged the government and law enforcement to ensure safety on public transportation. JP/J. Adiguna

Sept. 16, online

Responding to recent cases of gang-rape in public transportation buses, Governor Fauzi Bowo advised people, especially women, to give an extra thought to the clothes and accessories they wear to avoid attracting unwanted attention.

“[They] must adjust to their surrounding environment so that they don’t provoke people to commit unwanted acts,” he said.

“Imagine if someone on board a mikrolet [minivan] sits wearing a miniskirt, you would get fidgety,” he said lightheartedly.

Your comments:

His comment is inappropriate and sexist. Don’t blame the victim. A similar comment was made by a Toronto police officer and sparked a protest movement that is now known as “the Slutwalk” around the world.

Hendrawan,
Vancouver, BC

I can’t believe you said that.

Minari
Surabaya

As a man, I am very insulted by the governor’s words. Does he think I cannot control my bodily urges? If I see a good looking woman in a short skirt I will be forced to rape her by my animal instinct? We are not wild animals. I hope he will apologize to us.

Of course, women are attractive to men (and vice versa) that is how God made us. But He also gives us a brain and a set of moral codes with which to control ourselves.

The other worrying aspect of this is that it is likely to be only the start. This time he says miniskirts are causing rapes, next it will be women walking alone who are to blame, then women wearing trousers, then women who show their hair, then women who show their faces. Watch out!

Deedee S.
Banten

Just punish the criminals and make it public to scare potential rapists. I think Fauzi Bowo is trying to twist the problem around.

It’s not the way women dress, it’s the lack of respect for law and order.

But how can one blame people if their leaders do all the wrong things as “example behavior”?

Joachim Hartmann
Jakarta

Governor, your comments, if reported correctly, amaze me — how did you earn your position?

No woman from any walk of life, race or religion deserves to be raped. You say people get fidgety — do you feel this way Sir?

I hope not. Disgraceful comment at best.

Will
Denpasar

So, he’s saying women should wear full clothes on the beach?

Such an irresponsible answer from a governor.

Chromeo
Jakarta

No wonder the Jakarta population still lives in dirt among garbage since the governor still lives in primitive times.

Why blame pretty women for making men lose control?

This is just like in a conservative country where women are always at fault in any case of assault carried out by men. The men of Indonesia should behave like human beings. Only an animal cannot stop and control its mind.

Very strange. I thought a governor is supposed to be an educated man.

Widya Utama
Bergen

This Fauzi must be really ignorant. Does he not know that statistics show that more nuns are raped and molested compared to scantily dressed women? Some of our nuns are being raped and molested right in church.

But let’s not go into detail as to who are raping them and those little Sunday school kids. One thing for sure, if you dress to cover all up like nuns, your chances of getting raped are higher.

Kapyr
Flores

This governor should be replaced with someone who has more respect for women. Women are not to blame. Rapists on the other hand have to be given the death penalty.

He’s a very disappointing governor. He shouldn’t be reelected. This is another way of saying that men don’t have brains and are highly driven by their sexual urges, so that women (who have brains) have to dress accordingly.

Amita
Switzerland

So the victims are to blame? Does the biggest city in Indonesia deserve such an ignorant governor?

Edi Rey
Switzerland

What a very ignorant comment from someone who’s supposed to be highly educated and widely informed.

This is just another form of victim-blaming. No person — be it a woman or man — deserves to be raped. A rape victim can wear a short skirt in an angkot and she is not responsible for the rapist’s action. Rapists are the only reason rape happens.

Stop victim-blaming.

Maria
Jakarta