If you are a woman residing in Sumedang, West Java, going out alone at night may now pose problems. The city has issued a regional bylaw stipulating that anyone with an “eye-catching appearance”, one that could encourage others to engage in sexual behavior, shall be punished.

The Sumedang bylaw is one of the many sexist and discriminatory regulations in place in the country, the number of which, according to the National Commission on Violence Against Women (Komnas Perempuan), continues to rise.

In a report released on Thursday, the commission says it recorded 33 discriminatory regulations in the form of circulars, regency instructions, bylaws and regulations in lieu of law from September last year to August 2016.

“The number of discriminatory policies against women and minorities stood at 422 this year, up from 389 last year,” commissioner Kariroh Ali tol...

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