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Govt to boost coordination on sexual violence bill
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Against violence – Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection Minister Yohana Susana Yembise highlights the government's efforts to combat violence against women and children during a recent discussion in Jakarta. (Tempo.co/-)
T
he government will boost coordination with the House of Representatives and the National Commission on Violence Against Women (Komnas Perempuan) to pass a sexual violence bill into law, a minister has said.
Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection Minister Yohana Susana Yembise said the bill, which has been included in the 2016 National Legislation Program (Prolegnas), was desperately needed to tackle the growing number of cases of sexual violence against women and children.
“The number of sexual violence cases has continued to increase and it should be the House’s main concern,” Yohana said after a meeting with President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo and Komnas Perempuan representatives at the State Palace complex in Jakarta on Wednesday.
The minister said the sexual violence bill would not only stipulate punishment for perpetrators but also restitution for victims of violence.
“Regarding the restitution, we will discuss it further with related ministries,” she continued. Rehabilitation for victims and preventive measures against violence are also set to be stipulated in the bill.
Yohana said the government had established a community-based integrated center as a rehabilitation facility for victims of sexual violence.
Social Affairs Minister Khofifah Indar Parawansa said that during the meeting, President Jokowi expressed his serious concern regarding the increasing number of cases of sexual violence against women and children.
Therefore, she said, the President instructed the Social Affairs Ministry and the Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection Ministry to maximize coordination with Komnas Perempuan to prevent similar violence in the future.
“We have several laws, including the Criminal Code, the 2004 Domestic Violence Eradication Law and the 2002 Child Protection Law but apparently, there are several other things that are not covered by those laws,” Khofifah said.
Komnas Perempuan chairperson Azriana said the commission was finalizing a draft of the sexual violence law, which was expected to be submitted to the House by the end of July.
"This draft law offers a number of breakthroughs. It not only regulates punishment for perpetrators of violence but also the recovery of victims and violence prevention, which involves community participation," Azriana said.
In the bill, Komnas Perempuan has listed several forms of sexual violence. They comprise rape, sexual harassment, sexual exploitation, sexual control, sexual torture, forced marriage, sexual slavery, sexual torture and forced prostitution.
The commission recorded 321,752 cases of violence against women in 2015, up from 293,220 cases in the previous year. (ebf)
