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View all search resultsEnd street harassment
The state must bridge the gap between its progressive anti-harassment law and the dangerous reality on the streets, so women are not forced to choose between physical fitness and personal safety.
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People exercise on Feb. 22, 2026, along the promenade surrounding the Main Stadium at the Gelora Bung Karno Sports Complex in Senayan, Central Jakarta. (Antara/Dhemas Reviyanto) (Antara/Dhemas Reviyanto)
F
or many women in Jakarta today, an early morning run is no longer only about keeping fit. It also means staying alert to passing motorcycles and unwanted gazes, bracing for the possibility that their routine workout could turn into an encounter with sexual harassment.
That sense of vulnerability was highlighted when a South Jakarta woman recently shared online that she had been groped by a motorcyclist while jogging. Her post prompted dozens of other women to recount their experiences, renewing deep concern about safety in public spaces.
Street harassment is hardly a new phenomenon. Indonesians have long been familiar with disturbing terms such as begal payudara (breast grabbing) and begal bokong (buttock grabbing), describing motorcyclists who grope women before speeding away.
The very existence of these terms is revealing. When society develops a specific vocabulary for a distinct form of abuse, it reflects a recurring pattern rather than isolated incidents.
Those targeted are frequently women walking or exercising alone, often on relatively quiet streets. While the attack may take only seconds, the psychological impact can last far longer. In such situations, many victims instinctively freeze: a survival response to a threatening event in which an individual becomes physically immobile and mentally disconnected as a defensive measure.
Unfortunately, this often leaves the victim unable to call for help, chase the perpetrator or even note down a license plate number. What’s more, the absence of such evidence frequently complicates police reports, as survivors are typically asked to provide supporting proof that the assault occurred.
A significant step forward was made with the enactment of the 2022 Sexual Violence (TPKS) Law. This broadened legal protections for survivors by allowing them to file police reports using only individual testimony along with assessments from health professionals like psychologists or psychiatrists.
