Reporting of sexual violence perpetrators proof of ignoring conscience

Jakarta, NU Online

Second chairwoman of the Regional Leadership (PW) of Fatayat Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) in the fields of Law, Politics, and Advocacy, Rindang Fariha regretted the excessive reporting of sexual harassment perpetrators who recently released from prison.

 

She considered that the welcoming ceremony was considered to have no conscience towards the victims.
"The media in this case does not pay attention to the humanitarian aspects, trauma, and stigma suffered by the victims," ​​she told NU Online, Wednesday (8/9/2021).

 

According to her, it is understandable that criticism and negative public sentiment dominate the news, because it is contrary to the existing regulations which are currently considered not yet fully oriented to the victims.

 

Moreover, she said, the process of recovering and protecting victims of sexual violence so far has often encountered a number of obstacles, especially when it comes to law enforcement. Therefore, she viewed the need for the Draft Law on the Elimination of Sexual Violence (RUU PKS) to be ratified immediately.

 

"We (Fatayat NU) are pushing for the PKS Bill to be ratified immediately," Rindang emphasized.

 

The woman who is also active as Chair of the Center for Gender Studies at Nahdlatul Ulama University (UNU) Yogyakarta explained that victims of sexual violence not only needed protection, but also needed legal certainty for the crimes committed by the perpetrators.

 

"They need our help to get justice," she explained.

 

It is important to know, in the Criminal Code (KUHP), sexual violence which could be categorized as a crime only includes two things, namely rape and sexual harassment or obscenity.

 

Meanwhile in the PKS Bill, sexual violence is classified into nine types, namely: (1) sexual harassment, (2) sexual exploitation, (3) forced contraception, (4) forced abortion, (5) rape, (6) forced marriage, ( 7) forced prostitution, (8) sexual slavery, and (9) sexual torture.

 

A broader definition of sexual violence in the PKS Bill will be able to reach perpetrators who have so far escaped the law simply because their actions did not fulfill the legality element as a criminal act.

 

Contributor: Syifa Arrahmah

Editor: Kendi Setiawan