"RUU PKS stands for the victims of sexual violence, and this bill may serve as a strong law to punish sexual predators, rapists," said a spokesperson of A Coalition of Safe Public Safe (Koalisi Ruang Publik Aman), Aman Neqy, during the rally.
During the protest, the supporters also clarified some claims that said the bill was an effort to legalize Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) in Indonesia. "If they (the bill's opponents) read the RUU PKS carefully, there is no article that mentions LGBT," Neqy remarked.
The bill was first proposed in 2016 following a series of sexual abuse cases, which gained nationwide attention. Some cases included a gang rape and murder of a 14-year-old girl in Bengkulu Province and the case of Baiq Nuril who was sexually harassed but she ended up in jail for defaming her alleged harasser.
According to the bill, sexual violence is categorized as not only rape and sexual harassment, but also sexual exploitation, the forced use of contraceptives, forced abortion, forced marriage, forced prostitution, sexual slavery, and sexual torture.
The bill defines sexual violence as any actions that attacks, insults, and debases the reproductive functions, sexual desire, the body of someone forcefully or against his/her will, causing them to be unable to give permission due to power, and/or gender relations which could lead to physical, psychological, sexual suffering, as well as economic, social, political, and cultural losses.
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Translator: Muhammad Zulfikar/Genta Tenri
Editor: Sri Haryati
Copyright © ANTARA 2019
