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Violence against women, children still rampant in Yogyakarta
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Women's rights activists call for the elimination of violence against women during a rally to celebrate International Women's Day in Yogyakarta on March 9. (JP/Bambang Muryanto)
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women’s rights group has said that the number of cases of violence against women and children in Yogyakarta remains alarming.
The Rifka Annisa Women’s Crisis Center recorded at least 287 cases of violence against women and children in Yogyakarta throughout 2017.
The group stressed that the figure was just the tip of the iceberg. “There are numerous other cases that we did not handle,” its spokesperson, Diferentia One Muharomah, said.
Among the most common cases were domestic violence (209), sexual violence (29) and sexual harassment and violence in dating relationships (13). At least 80 cases occurred in Sleman regency, 49 in Yogyakarta municipality and 39 in Bantul regency.
More husbands have threatened to kill their wives this year, One said, adding that in many cases the victims were also criminalized.
At least 24 cases of sexual violence involved children, the group said, noting that in some cases the victims got pregnant and were expelled from school.
From 2009 to 2016, the group handled 2,481 cases, or about 300 cases in a year, according to tribunnews.com. "Punishment for the perpetrators should be harsher to create a deterrent effect,” One said.
Sukiratnasari from the Yogyakarta Women’s Network (JPY) called on the government to take action to eradicate violence against women and children by teaching the younger generation to develop non-violent behavior. (vla/ahw)
