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everal professors at the University of Indonesia (UI) have called on the police to continue their investigation into the rape case involving the poet Sitok Srengenge, amid fears that the police might be ready to drop the case.

Sitok, 49, has been accused of raping and impregnating a 22-year-old UI student in 2013 when she asked him to help her with her thesis.

Several weeks ago, the Jakarta Police reported a lack of incriminating evidence, prompting speculation that they would eventually stop the investigation.

UI School of Law dean Topo Santoso said that continuing the investigation was crucial for ensuring justice not only for the victim, but also for all women in Indonesia.

'€œHow this case is resolved is important for the future of all women in our country. The police must continue this case,'€ Topo said during a recent discussion organized by UI in Depok, West Java.

He added that the country'€™s current rape laws were hampering investigations, not only in Sitok'€™s case, but in all rape cases in Indonesia.

Topo said that Article 285 of the Criminal Code, which narrowly defines rape as '€œforcing a woman with physical violence or intimidation of abuse to have sex'€, was no longer relevant. '€œOur code on rape is outdated. Rape is not only physically abusing or intimidating someone into having sex; rape is where one person asks for or gives sexual favors to another person without consent, whether or not physical abuse or intimidation of abuse was involved,'€ Topo said.

Sitok has maintained innocence and stated that the sex was consensual, as no physical abuse was involved.

Topo has also called on the government to amend the article, which Indonesia inherited from the Dutch colonial government.

In 2013, the article was amended to include oral sex and anal sex in its definition of sex. However, the amendment failed to broaden the definition of rape itself.

Similarly, Sulistyowati Irianto, a professor at UI'€™s School of Law, voiced her concern regarding the country'€™s laws and societal norms, which she said still favor men.

'€œRape cases in Indonesia are tricky. With our laws and our patriarchal society, victims rarely receive justice,'€ Sulistyowati said during the same discussion at UI.

Meanwhile, Adj. Sr. Comr. Suwondo Nainggolan, who leads the investigation team, denied that the case was being dropped. He acknowledged that the case was developing slowly due to a lack of evidence and witnesses.

However, he rejected the notion that litigating rape cases required witnesses.

'€œThe [perpetrator'€™s] lawyer often asks for witnesses. Why would there be a witness? The perpetrator did not invite people to come over and watch, did he?'€ Suwondo said.

He added that police were now investigating the psychologists who examined the victim.