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Sexual violence doesn't discriminate: Activists
Jakarta Post - May 19, 2016
The groups, which include Suara Kita (Our Voice), Perempuan Mahardika (Mahardika Women), the Ardhanary Institute and Gaya Warna Lentera Indonesia (GWL INA), have banded together under the banner of the Indonesian Sexual Diversity Movement (GKSI) to raise awareness about sexual violence.
"Violence is violence and everyone needs to stand up against it," Teguh Iman from Suara Kita, an organization focusing on the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transsexual (LGBT) community said on Wednesday.
There is a tendency to view sexual violence committed against LGBT people as acceptable, Teguh said. In comparison, people would more easily condemn the sexual abuse of women and children, he said.
The GKSI in its statement called for the government to "carry out concrete action" in addressing the issue, including the improvement of the legal framework as well as preventative measures beginning with a reform of public education in relation to the eradication of sexual violence.
There were 321,752 cases of violence against women recorded in 2015, according to the National Commission on Violence against Women (Komnas Perempuan). Meanwhile, the Indonesian Child Protection Commission (KPAI) reported 5,000 cases of child abuse in 2015, 58 percent of which involved sexual violence.
Citing data from various NGOs, the statement also included research data the Ardhanary Institute delivered to Komnas Perempuan, which recorded at least 37 cases of violence based on sexual orientation, gender identity and expression (SOGIE) against lesbian, bisexual and female-to-male transgender (LBT) people in 2014 and 34 in 2015.
Meanwhile, GWL INA reported 26 cases of sexual violence against gay and male-to-female transgender people in 2015, and one case reported by Suara Kita in 2016.
Ino Shean from the Ardhanary Institute, a lesbian, bisexual and transgender research, publication and advocacy center, said there was still a lack of data on cases of violence on the basis of SOGIE. "Many more cases go unreported," she added.
The types of sexual violence cases are not dissimilar to those experienced by heterosexual people, such as physical or psychological abuse, Ino said. However LGBT people are more specifically targeted in relation to their sexual orientation.
Mona, a transgender member of GWL INA, said one of the reasons for the reluctance in reporting the cases is due to a lack of response from officials, including the police. "The response of these public servants is poor and they seldom follow up on our complaints," Mona said.
Referring to her personal experiences, Mona said an unsatisfactory response had left her feeling abandoned. Fear of discrimination was also another reason for the lack of reporting, she said.
Komnas Perempuan sub-commission recovery system development head Indriyati Suparno said the government needed to instill a better awareness of counseling and reporting among the public from early on, such as in schools, so that people from a young age were aware of their rights.
Earlier this month, Cabinet Secretary Pramono Anung said the government was taking sexual violence seriously and that President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo had instructed the Cabinet to prioritize the issue. The government is pushing for the House of Representatives to include the sexual violence bill in its next session. (rin)
Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/05/19/sexual-violence-doesnt-discriminate-activists.html.
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