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Grim reality check on International Women's Day
Jakarta Post - March 8, 2010
Hasyim Widhiarto and Sri Wahyuni, Jakarta/Yogyakarta – A grim report on the plight of women across the country will mark the commemoration of International Women's Day here, as the number of cases of violence against women soared by 263 percent last year.
The National Commission on Violence Against Women (Komnas Perempuan) recorded 140,000 cases last year, almost three times the 2008 figure, which stood at 54,000.
Commissioner Arimbi Heroepoetri, said in Jakarta on Sunday the significant increase did not necessarily mean that more women suffered from violence last year.
"Women might now have more courage to report [violence they have experienced], while the institutions that provide counseling service to the victims might be more accessible," Yustina said.
Yuniyanti Chuzaifah, the head of Komnas Perempuan, said the media had played an important role in exposing violence against women.
The increasing number of women who have apparently been empowered to speak up, however, contrasted with the fact that many women are still vulnerable to structural and political violence.
Structural violence against women manifests in numerous ways, including the implementation of discriminative bylaws, such as those that forbid women from walking alone at night. The state has failed to protect women, Yuniyanti said.
The commission's report revealsed that most of the cases occurred in Java with 123, 774 cases, followed by Sumatra with 8,987 cases, Kalimantan 4,632 cases, Sulawesi 2,301 cases and East Nusa Tenggara with 954 cases.
According to the report, more than 90 percent of the cases involved domestic violence, with housewives accounting for 96 percent of sexual assault and psychological bullying.
Despite the bleak report, some were more upbeat in their celebrations of International Women's Day, which falls today.
Poets and women's activists in Yogyakarta celebrated with readings of literary works. Entitled "[Not] Just Reading", the event presented both young poets, including children, and several senior authors. Among them was noted senior novelist N.H. Dini and artist Sidik Martowidjoyo.
"Through this event we want to remind people that women cannot live alone in this world. They need men, children, grandmothers, grandfathers, etc. That's what we are trying to present this evening," the event's co-organizer, Anggi Minarni, said in her opening speech.
A total of six different languages were heard during the event: Indonesian, Javanese, Dutch, German, Chinese and French. "This is our way of showing diversity," Anggi said.
N.H. Dini presented her work Pesan Ibu (Mom's Advice), which was drawn from the advice she received from her mother when she graduated from high school.
"There was a time in my life that I wanted to be born a man, not a woman," said N.H. Dini, 74, just before her poetry reading. "Yet, as I'm experiencing my life, that idea has eventually gone. It is really pleasant to be a woman. I have no regrets about it," she added.
Taking "Women in Colors" as the central theme, the event was jointly organized by Karta Pusaka and the Yogyakarta French cultural center LIP Yogyakarta.
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