TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The National Commission on Violence Against Women (Komnas Perempuan) has introduced a 16-day anti-violence against women campaign which will focuses on calling for legislators to pass the sexual violence bill or RUU TPKS.

In a press conference on Wednesday, November 24, Komnas Perempuan commissioner Satyawanti Mashudi said “Within the past 5 years there were 24,786 cases of sexual violence reported to service agencies, government agencies, and direct reports to the Komnas Perempuan.”

According to her, 7,344 of the reports were rape cases with less than 30 percent legally processed. She insists that the small percentage shows that law enforcement is only covering a limited definition of this type of violence.

She argues that the lack of legal protection on this type of violence caused only a small number of reports to be handled. The pandemic, Mashudi said, saw a rise in reported cases with more and more victims find themselves at the threshold of uncertainty.

She asserted the importance of a legal protection that sides with the victims, which in turn will give them a thorough protection including trauma recovery attempts.

“The law should not just focus on punishing perpetrators,” she said, “Victims’ recoveries also becomes an important aspect as it would enable them to continue their lives in the future.”

Read: Komnas Perempuan to Hold 16-Day Campaign of Anti-violence Against Women

JESSICA ESTER