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House progresses toward passing sexual violence bill
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Mannequins are placed outside the House of Representatives compound in Central Jakarta on Dec. 8, 2020, as part of a lobbying campaign pushing for the passage of the sexual violence bill. (JP/Wendra Ajistyatama)
I
ndonesia has moved a step closer to enacting sexual violence law as lawmakers and government officials completed deliberations on the bill at the working committee level on Monday. Much to the relief of women’s groups, it contains progressive provisions that expand on the definition of sexual violence.
The House of Representatives Legislative Body (Baleg), which spearheaded the working committee discussing a list of proposed changes to the bill submitted by the government, is fast-tracking deliberations after they languished for nearly a decade.
The committee hosted a week-long series of meetings, which also involved women's groups and the National Commission on Violence Against Women (Komnas Perempuan).
Nine forms of sexual violence
The committee agreed to include nine forms of sexual violence in the bill: physical and nonphysical sexual harassment, sexual torture, forced contraception, forced sterilization, forced marriage, sexual slavery, sexual exploitation and cyber sexual harassment.
The latter two were deliberated on Monday, when the committee wrapped up the discussion before bringing the bill to a Baleg meeting on Tuesday for approval.
This is significant progress from the previous draft of the bill, which acknowledged only five forms of sexual violence: sexual harassment (both physical and nonphysical), cyber sexual harassment, forced use of contraceptives, forced sterilization and sexual exploitation.
