Victims of sexual misconduct, who usually keep their experience to themselves out of fear of being judged, have turned to online platform Hollaback! Jakarta to speak up about their experiences
ictims of sexual misconduct, who usually keep their experience to themselves out of fear of being judged, have turned to online platform Hollaback! Jakarta to speak up about their experiences.
Launched in September last year, there are more than 200 stories about sexual harassment shared through the platform, said Hollaback! Jakarta administrator Anindya Restuviyani, also known as Vivi.
The stories, mostly shared by women, vary from catcalling to physical harassment. Victims are becoming more familiar with the site and are willing to share their stories, though most choose to remain anonymous.
“Social media has a large role to play. Hollaback! mostly campaigns through online platforms, so many people get to know us via social media,” Vivi told The Jakarta Post recently.
One of the victims, a Bekasi resident identified as Arzay, shared her story on the site, saying that a man groped her while she was jogging on Sunday. She wanted to scream for help but she could not see anyone around the neighborhood.
“I felt ashamed and since that day, it [the incident] keeps bothering me. I am angry and keep asking myself why I was treated like that. My parents did not really care about it, but as a victim, I cannot just accept it,” she wrote.
Other women also shared how they were catcalled and leered at. Wearing a school uniform or hijab does not exempt them from harassment.
“I left a train station and was heading to a mall. I was followed by a man, and when he passed by me, he grabbed my chest and then ran away,” wrote a victim, who wishes to remain anonymous while sharing her story on the platform.
Most of the victims vented their frustration, saying that even though they shared their stories with the people closest to them, no one seemed to care, hence they felt a platform like Hollaback! Jakarta was of great help.
Data from the National Commission on Violence against Women showed that last year there were 13,602 cases of violence against women, and the highest number of cases occurred in Jakarta with 2,552 cases, followed by East Java with 1,635 cases and West Java with 1,377 cases.
Vivi said sharing the stories helps to raise awareness that sexual harassment is prevalent. But she emphasized that those who are willing to speak up should also consider their safety, especially if they know the perpetrator.
Separately, one of the founders of Indonesia’s One Billion Rising, a global movement against sexual harassment, Dhyta Caturani, said many organizations that actively campaign to tell victims of sexual assault that they are not alone, and that the organizations are there to support them, may be one of the triggers that encourage women to reveal their stories to the public.
“Sexual harassment remains rampant because of a patriarchal system that makes men think they have the right to assault women, and then blame the victim by saying it [the assault] happened because she was wearing a sexy outfit, was drunk or was flirting with them,” Dhyta said.
The One Billion Rising campaign, a movement to end violence against women that began in 2012 has spread worldwide, and has been considered by many as a positive campaign that is relevant to Indonesia. Many people welcomed events that aim at raising awareness on abuse against women, with 400 people participating in Jakarta, and 10 other cities such as Bandung, West Java; Surabaya, East Java and Yogyakarta also holding similar events.
Globally, the hashtag #metoo on Twitter has snowballed after a number of Hollywood celebrities came forward with allegations of sexual assault against film producer Harvey Weinstein.
Share your experiences, suggestions, and any issues you've encountered on The Jakarta Post. We're here to listen.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts. We appreciate your feedback.