House of Representatives Passes Law on Sexual Violence

TheIndonesia.id - The House of Representatives has passed the sexual violence bill into law in a plenary meeting on Tuesday, April 12.

In the meeting, deputy chairman of the House’s legislation committee Willy Aditya presented the body’s report on the deliberation of sexual violence bill.

House Speaker Puan Maharani then addressed members of the meeting.

“Can the sexual violence bill be approved to be passed into law?” she asked.

Members, who were present both in-person and virtually, agreed to pass the law.

The plenary session was also attended by a number of women’s organizations, including LBH Apik Jakarta, Perhimpunan Jiwa Sehat, and Puan Seni Indonesia.

From nine fractions in the House, the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) had previously rejected the bill because it deemed the bill to be lacking from other fundamental points that should be included.

“We’re against [the decision] not because we’re against the protection of sexual violence victims, especially women, but the bill doesn’t comprehensively regulate the entire immoral acts which include sexual violence, adultery, and sexual deviance,” spokesperson for the party Kurniasih Mufidayanti said.

Member of the sexual violence bill’s working group Christina Aryani commented that the ratification wouldn’t be possible without the relentless fight done by women in the country, particularly the victims of sexual assault.

“This is the fruit of women’s hard work all across Indonesia, especially the victims of sexual violence. Upon this ratification, then the work to fight for women’s aspiration in the country becomes lighter,” Aryani said on Tuesday, as reported by Antara.