Poor procedures thwart rape cases prosecution<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Many rape cases in the country cannot be
\nprosecuted due to the lack of standardized examination and
\ndocumentation procedures which are admissible as evidence in
\ncourt, experts said on Thursday.<\/p>\n
The chief of the National Police detectives unit, Maj. Gen.
\nDa'i Bachtiar, said another factor complicating the prosecution
\nof accused rapists was the social stigmatization felt by victims.
\nMany women, overwhelmed by feelings of shame and embarrassment,
\nrefuse to testify in court.<\/p>\n
The lack of a witness in a rape case also hindered the police
\ninvestigation, Da'i told a seminar on forensic medicine held by
\nthe School of Medicine of the University of Indonesia.<\/p>\n
Australian forensic expert Morris Odell said his homeland
\ndefined rape as "unlawful penetration of any parts of the human
\nbody, or by any foreign object into a vagina or an anus", which
\nmay or may not result in ejaculation.<\/p>\n
Odell said that proving rape in adult victims was more
\ndifficult because there were likely to be fewer signs of forced
\npenetration.<\/p>\n
A procedure for building a rape case is to compile
\nphotographic evidence, including shots of the victim's genitalia.
\nBut Odell noted that the procedure was not endorsed by the
\nmedical code of ethics unless the results of the physical
\nexamination were queried.<\/p>\n
Low quality<\/p>\n
Budi Sampurno, head of the forensic department of Cipto
\nMangunkusumo General Hospital, concurred with Da'i and Odell.<\/p>\n
"Aside from the reluctance of rape victims to testify, reports
\non the physical examination are usually inaccurate and not of a
\nsufficient quality to be used as legal evidence," Budi said.<\/p>\n
He recommended that a standard procedure for the physical
\nexamination and documentation of rape victims be introduced and
\nintegrated into a computer database, allowing for easy access and
\nvalidity in legal prosecution.<\/p>\n
Marzuki Darusman, chairman of the National Commission on Human
\nRights, regretted that many rape cases in the country went
\nunsolved.<\/p>\n
Stressing that sexual assaults should be regarded as a
\nviolation of human rights, he said that Indonesians should
\nenforce stronger measures to prevent the crime and punish
\nconvicted rapists.<\/p>\n
Rape became an issue of public debate following media reports
\nthat at least 68 women were gang-raped during the widespread
\nriots in Jakarta and other cities in May 1998. Most of the women
\nwere ethnic Chinese.<\/p>\n
Sexual assault and rape are reportedly common in the troubled
\nprovinces of East Timor and Aceh. Women's rights activists have
\ncastigated the government and law-enforcement officers for their
\ndenial of the problem.<\/p>\n
Odell said the Australian government established a number of
\ncrisis centers to help rape victims deal with the trauma.<\/p>\n
"In Melbourne alone, there are four centers which operate
\nround-the-clock. Doctor and social workers are on call 24
\nhours." (04)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/poor-procedures-thwart-rape-cases-prosecution-1447893297",
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