Here Are Some Key Points in the Recently Passed Sexual Violence Law

TheIndonesia.co - In a plenary session led by speaker Puan Maharani on Tuesday, the House of Representatives, or DPR, passed the sexual violence bill into law.

The hard- and long-fought battle finally resulted in Indonesia officially having a law on sexual violence. As reported, not the entire lawmakers agreed on the bill or its contents. From nine fractions in the House, the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) had previously rejected the bill because it deemed the bill to be lacking in 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 back in January.

However, the House managed to pass the law that aims to fully protect the victims of sexual violence, especially women, in Indonesia.

The law contains 152 articles that regulate the prevention, eradication, and handling of sexual violence as well as the protection of and rehabilitation for victims. Below are some of crucial points from the law.

1.    The law defines nine forms of sexual violence, and they are nonphysical sexual harassment, physical sexual harassment, forced contraception, forced sterilization, forced marriage, sexual torture, sexual exploitation, sexual slavery, and electronic-based sexual violence.

2.    Sexual violence cases that happen within marriage can also be legally processed according to the law.

3.    Perpetrators who marry their victims can also be charged.

4.    Based on the law, perpetrators have to pay restitution to their victims – in addition to imprisonment and fine.

5.    Sexual violence cases cannot be handled through restorative justice.

6.    This law also protects victims of revenge porn from criminalization. Prior to the law, victims whose private content is shared without their consent could also be charged according to the Electronic Information and Transaction Law (UU ITE).

7.    Unlike other criminal cases where two evidences are required, in sexual violence cases, only one evidence is needed.