TheJakartaPost
Please Update your browser
Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below.
Just click on the icons to get to the download page.
Sexual violence victims need more attention: Activists
Change Size
Activists from the Women's Action Committee lit candles during a rally called #SOS (Save Our Sister): Ring the Alarm! Indonesia is in a Sexual Violence State of Emergency" in Jakarta on May 4. (Antara/Muhammad Adimaja)
H
uman rights activists have urged the government to pay serious attention to victims of sexual violence, and not just focus on creating harsher punishments for offenders.
"The real emergency that the country is facing can be found in the handling of victims," Institute for Criminal Justice Reform (ICJR) researcher Erasmus Napitupulu said during a press conference hosted by non-government organizations grouped under "Alliance 99 against Chemical Castration Perppu" (Aliansi Tolak Perppu Kebiri).
The 99 groups include Human Rights Working Group (HRWG), CEDAW Working Group Initiative (CWGI) and Jakarta Legal Aid Institute (LBH).
The government has prepared a regulation in lieu of law (Perppu) which will impose harsher punishment for sex crime offenders, including the likely sanction of chemical castration for pedophiles and child rapists.
Erna Singereta, member of End Child Prostitution, Child Pornography and Trafficking of Children for Sexual Purposes (ECPAT) Indonesia, criticized the government's lack of attention to the protection and recovery of abuse victims.
Even within the legal framework, Erna said that a victim's needs are not looked after. "For example, the three sessions only psychological counseling service is carried out merely to fulfill paperwork requirements throughout a legal procedure so as to attain the required statement letter from a psychologist," Erna said, while emphasizing that recovery of victims takes more than three appointments.
Evi Permata Sari, who works to help sexual abuse victims through the non-profit organization Friends of Children, Women and Families (SAPA) Indonesia, also said the government needs to allocate more funds for the recovery of victims and not just focus on the punishment of the perpetrators.
"The rehabilitation of victims is very important and its costs are great, keeping in mind that some victims take years even to recover from the trauma," Evi said.
Funds are limited in this respect, she continued, adding that the burden usually rests with the victim's families or guardians who foot the bill if they have the means.
Evi emphasized that greater investment in the recuperation of victims would be beneficial, not only for the victims, as such an investment would directly help the families and the community.
Citing the results of ICJR research, Erasmus Napitupulu said that chemical castration by law has proven to be an ineffective deterrent for sex offenders. For example, he continued, despite the implementation of the punishment, Saudi Arabia continues to report large numbers of sexual abuse cases, ranking it among the world’s worst for such cases.
Emphasizing the human rights aspect, Erasmus cited that several countries including Australia, the UK, Denmark and Sweden administered the injections under voluntary agreement with the convict, in return for reduced sentences.
He argued that chemical castration was relatively expensive and would likely cost the state Rp 180 million per convict, should the measure be put to practice in Indonesia.
Erasmus’ estimation calculates the price of the drug, which would have to be injected once every three months for a convict sentenced to 10 years or more in prison, he added.
"On the other hand, victims of sexual violence are not entitled to compensation," said Erasmus, adding that under the law, only victims of terrorism and human rights violations arising from the 1965 massacre are currently entitled to compensation. (bbn)
