Stakeholders should immediately present the solution.Jakarta (ANTARA) - Deputy Speaker of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) Lestari Moerdijat in a statement on Thursday, emphasized the need for expediting the provision of a solution to overcome hurdles in the legal process for sexual violence cases.
The attention of stakeholders is required to expedite the provision of solutions to tackle these hurdles, Moerdijat emphasized.
“The people are striving to seek justice in facing sexual violence cases, but they still face several difficulties,” she noted.
“Stakeholders should immediately present the solution,” she remarked.
Moerdijat cited data from the Indonesia Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI) that shows the slow pace of the legal process in tackling cases of sexual violence while her group offered legal assistance.
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According to the Jakarta Legal Aid Foundation's (LBH's) data, in 2021, it had received 35 reported sexual violence cases of rape, sexual harassment, online gender-based violence (KBGO), sexual exploitation, and abortion coercion.
The hurdles include undue delay in the legal process, evidence, the lack of article that stipulates a certain sexual crime, intimidation from perpetrators, and the lack of support from those in the victim's nearby environment.
In addition, the Women's Empowerment and Child Protection Ministry's data indicated 10,247 cases of violence against women in 2021.
Solutions for the problems in the legal process for sexual violence cases were outlined during the discussion of the Sexual Violence Prevention Bill (RUU TPKS).
However, the discussion is currently on pause because of recess time for the House of Representatives' (DPR's) members.
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"The bill stipulates several aspects starting from victim protection to prevention, rehabilitation, and legal assurance in handling sexual violence cases," Moerdijat remarked.
The prevalence of sexual violence cases among members of the public should become a serious consideration for all parties to present a legal instrument that can serve as a solution for this problem, she stressed.
Moerdijat urged all parties, regardless of the group and political parties, to collectively realize a solution to handle the various hurdles encountered in the legal process for sexual violence cases in the nation.
While awaiting the Sexual Violence Prevention Law as becoming one of the solutions, law enforcement should pay serious attention to handling the prevalence of sexual violence cases, according to Moerdijat.
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Translator: Imam B, Fadhli Ruhman
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
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