VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has sought the acceleration of the ratification of the sexual violence prevention bill (RUU TPKS) in the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR).

"I have also asked the government task force that handles the sexual violence bill to immediately prepare the problem inventory list (DIM) for the draft bill that is being prepared by the Indonesian House of Representatives," the President said in a video broadcast on Tuesday.

The House did not approve the sexual violence bill as a DPR initiative during the plenary session at the close of the second session on December 16, 2021, he noted.

“So that the joint discussion process can be faster, go into the main points of substance to provide legal certainty and guarantee protection for victims of sexual violence," the President advised.

The goal is that victims of sexual violence get protection, he explained.

"I hope that the sexual violence bill can be passed soon, so as to provide maximum protection to victims of sexual violence in the country," the President said.

The initial draft of the bill contains 11 chapters comprising 40 articles, he informed. Chapter I contains General Provisions, and the issue of sexual violence is regulated in Chapter II, he said.

Four forms of sexual violence are regulated in the latest draft of the sexual violence bill: sexual harassment (physical and non-physical), forced contraception, forced sexual intercourse, and sexual exploitation, he said.

Before being christened the sexual violence prevention bill, the bill was called the elimination of sexual violence bill, but its name was changed by the House of Representatives Legislation Body (Baleg) in September 2021.

Earlier, the Commission on Violence Against Women (Komnas Perempuan) reported that it had received 4,500 complaints pertaining to violence against women in the January–October period last year. The number had doubled compared to 2020, it said.

According to Komnas Perempuan, sexual violence has become an urgent issue not only due to the increasing number of sexual violence but also the inadequate handling capacity in all regions.

Meanwhile, based on data collected by the Women's Empowerment and Child Protection Ministry, cases of violence against children reached 11,057 in 2019, 11,279 in 2020, and 12,566 as of November 2021.

Among children, the most common form of violence experienced was sexual violence (45 percent), psychological violence (19 percent), and physical violence (18 percent).

Meanwhile, cases of violence against women also registered an increase, the Women's Empowerment and Child Protection Ministry noted. In the last three years, 26,200 cases of violence against women were registered in the country, it said.

In 2019, there were around 8,800 cases of violence against women, then in 2020, the number fell to 8,600 cases, it noted.

From January to November 2021, around 8,800 cases of violence against women were reported in the country, it informed.

Women mostly experienced physical violence (39 percent), psychological violence (29.8 percent), and sexual violence (11.33 percent), it added. (Antaranews)