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Femicide: The final stage of violence in patriarchal society
Judges often treat femicide cases as ordinary homicides without delving deeper into the patriarchal structures that enable femicide as a systemic crime.
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Pressing the patriarchy: Activists hold signs during a peaceful demonstration against gender-based violence on Nov. 25, 2024, in Jakarta. The protesters urged the government to push for resolution in cases of gender-based violence and to increase legal protections for women. (Antara/Idlan Dziqri Mahmudi)
T
he increasing media coverage of the alarming rise in femicide has only intensified public fear. Violence against women has now escalated to the point of fatality, serving as a grim consequence of a cruel patriarchal system.
Armed with a machete, a husband in Minahasa, North Sulawesi, repeatedly stabbed his wife, the mother of their children, to death out of sheer suspicion of infidelity, merely because he heard her talking in her sleep.
Similarly, in Riau Islands in May 2024, a husband murdered his wife. His justification? He was enraged after she refused to cook and wash his clothes. He also suspected her of having an affair.
The term “femicide” remains largely unfamiliar in Indonesia. It is absent from the Indonesian Dictionary (KBBI) and lacks a clear legal definition. However, femicide is a form of gender-based violence that is often preceded by a series of physical and psychological abuses before culminating in murder. Before their deaths, victims frequently endure sexual harassment, rape, rape-induced pregnancy, physical assault, strangulation, stabbing, beating, torture and manipulation, among other forms of abuse.
Even in death, the violence does not cease. Victims' bodies are often found in horrifying conditions. They are stuffed in suitcases, encased in concrete, mutilated or even boiled.
Studies have found patriarchy plays a significant role in these cases. In a patriarchal system, women are frequently viewed as male possessions, which fosters a sense of entitlement among men, leading them to believe they have the right to take a woman's life.
According to the National Commission on Violence Against Women (Komnas Perempuan), femicide in Indonesia typically stems from five primary motives: Domestic disputes, jealousy, resentment, infidelity, suspicion of infidelity and economic factors.
