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Activists, survivors aim to stamp out rape in 16 Days of Activism
Every day, eight women are raped in Indonesia. Women rights organizations and sexual violence survivors are voicing their concerns about the issue during the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, which commenced on Nov. 25.
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Standing up: Activists participate in the 2019 Women’s March Jakarta at the National Monument (Monas) in Central Jakarta on April 27. (The Jakarta Post/Donny Fernando )
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red-and-white elementary school uniform hangs from the ceiling in the corner of the Selatan café in Kemang, South Jakarta. On the skirt, there is a laminated piece of paper that says:
“At that time, I was in the 4th grade of elementary school. One time I was looking at the toys being sold in front of my school. Then the seller came to me and touched my vagina. Another time my cousin came to me and rubbed his finger on my genitals. I felt disgusted but was too afraid to scream or tell my parents about it. It was not until I grew up that I understood that it was sexual harassment. Until now, I never told anyone about it. I’m embarrassed.”
This was one of the stories of sexual harassment survivors retold through Ruang Puan [Woman’s Room], an art event initiated by several organizations grouped under the Indonesian Coalition for Sexuality and Diversity to mark the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence.
The 16-day international campaign started on Nov. 25, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, and runs until Dec. 10, Human Rights Day.
The title of the art installation is “At that time I was.” Next to the uniform, there was also displayed a full-length hijab, a long sweater, pants and other clothes.
“These are replicas of what the victims were wearing when the harassment happened, but their stories are real,” Ayunita Xiao Wei, one of the activists with the coalition, said on Tuesday.
“We want to debunk the myth that sexual harassment happens because the clothes that the victims wore was too revealing. That’s wrong,” she said.
