"Victims of sexual violence must be courageous to report to police officers to get handling and legal protection, as well as give deterrent effect to the perpetrator," she said at the Sunday School Children Fun Camp (Percasmi) 2023 event here on Tuesday.
Nowadays, no day passes without issues concerning violence experienced by Indonesian women and children, including those reported in Ambon city and Maluku province, she noted.
She said the increase in cases is inseparable from reports of cases uncovered with the help of the media and the community, which no longer considers violence cases as a cause for shame.
She gave the example of children coming forward to report sexual violence perpetrated by their father, as seen in one recent case in Maluku in which the perpetrator has been sentenced.
The minister further said that Law Number 12 of 2022 on Sexual Violence Crime (TPKS Law) presents a new perspective on the law enforcement of sexual violence cases.
She noted that in the law, there is no loophole for perpetrators of sexual violence to escape legal action since they are barred from restorative justice and everything needs to be resolved in court.
"This is what we are expecting. The community, both victims and victims' families that see it (sexual violence), must report because the government is present to give justice to victims and deterrent effect to perpetrators," she stressed.
She said that the TPKS Law is a manifestation of the state's presence to protect the rights of victims, not only in terms of prevention and handling, but also empowering victims.
"We do not only give appeals but also continue to coordinate and oversee cases," she added.
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Translator: Penina Fiolana, Raka Adji
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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