It’s been more than year since the twitter hashtag #NyalaUntukYuyun brought the issue of rape culture into spotlight, yet the lawmakers and the government have yet to deliberate the bill, which women say is extremely important to protect them from all forms of sexual violence.
he 2016 gang rape and murder of a 14-year-old student named Yuyun by 14 boys and men was a wake-up call for the government to devise stronger legislation to address rape culture in the country.
President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo announced he was taking the matter seriously by telling the National Commission on Violence Against Women (Komnas Perempuan) that he supported a bill the commission had drafted to end sexual violence.
It’s been more than year since the twitter hashtag #NyalaUntukYuyun brought the issue of rape culture into spotlight, yet the lawmakers and the government have yet to deliberate the bill, which women say is extremely important to protect them from all forms of sexual violence.
The House of Representatives has, in fact, already listed the bill, named the sexual violence bill, in the 2017 national legislation program. It sent a letter to the State Palace on April 6, asking for the President’s approval for its deliberation and a list of contentious points in the bill (DIM).
The President only has 60 days to respond the House’s request and with only two days left before the deadline, which is June 6, the lawmakers said they were still waiting for the presidential letter, known as a surpres.
“Whether the sexual violence bill is accepted or not, the presidential letter and the DIM should be issued […] or the deliberation process will stall,” Rieke Diah Pitaloka, a politician of the ruling Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), said.
Cabinet Secretary Pramono Anung and State Secretary Pratikno did not return calls and text messages from The Jakarta Post.
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