Door reads Child Protection Law

Child sexual assault (kekerasan sexual) – which appears until now to have been rampant but widely ignored in Indonesia – has again made front-page news following reports of the rape of a 6-year-old at the Jakarta International School, sparking much soul-searching in the media and calls to impose harsher punishments on perpetrators.

Kid (speaking to President Yudhoyono): Where do you want me to take this Mr?

Ivan Aditya, Yogya – Scores of demonstrators from the Central Java and Yogyakarta Province Advocacy Circle for Women (Link-AP) held an action to commemorate International Women’s Day (IWD) at the Yogyakarta Monument on Saturday March 8.

Agus Setyadi, Banda Aceh – As many as 355 cases of violence against women occurred in 2013, one hundred and forty-three of which were cases of sexual violence.

Ahmad Romadoni, Jakarta – The momentum of Car Free Day along the length of Jl. Sudirman-Thamrin in Central Jakarta on Sunday September 15 was used by scores of students to call for actions rejecting the planned virginity test for high-school students that have been making the rounds of late.

Zico Nurrashid Priharseno, Jakarta – To this day many women workers become victims of sexual crimes. In Jakarta, there are around 80 thousand workers and as many as 90 percent of these are women. Seventy-five of women workers in Jakarta have experienced sexual violence.

Susi Fatimah, Jakarta – The failure of law enforcement officials to protect women from sexual violence and rape has prompted an alliance of women from Free Women (Perempuan Mahardika), the Cross-Factory Labour Forum (FBLP) and Marsinah Radio FM to form a movement called the Progressive Labour Front (Barisan Maju Buruh, BAMBU) for Women.

Septiana Ledysia, Jakarta – Five men calling themselves the New Men’s Alliance (ALB) held a silent action opposing all forms of violence and rape against women at the Hotel Indonesia traffic circle in Central Jakarta on Sunday April 7.

Ambon – Student activists from the Student Struggle Center for National Liberation (PEMBEBASAN) held a protest action on the main road in front of the Sirimau Sectoral Police Headquarters (Mapolsek) in Ambon, Maluku, on Friday March 8.