Bandung Regency Confinement Case a Crucial Test for LPSK
Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Commission XIII, Dewi Asmara, has criticised the Witness and Victim Protection Agency (LPSK) for what she perceives as a lack of swift response in handling the case of a woman confined in Bandung Regency. She stressed that the Witness and Victim Protection Law (UU PSDK Article 53 paragraph 1) explicitly mandates LPSK to be proactive, not merely waiting for a request from a victim who is under pressure and in fear.
The Golkar Party politician from the West Java IV electoral district stated that the philosophy of the UU PSDK is very clear: the state must be present proactively, not reactively.
“I must ask, where was LPSK when the woman with the initials YTR was abused and forcibly confined in Bandung Regency? The UU PSDK orders LPSK to actively seek out cases, not wait for them. The duties and functions regulated in this law are very firm, namely to provide proactive protection as soon as there is information or an indication of a serious threat to witnesses and victims. There is no need to wait for the victim to submit a request. There is no need to wait for torturous bureaucratic mechanisms. LPSK is obliged to move quickly, go to the field, and secure the victim. That is the order of the law,” Dewi asserted, as quoted from a press release received in Jakarta on Tuesday.
Dewi detailed that the new UU PSDK grants LPSK the authority to conduct direct outreach, take independent protection initiatives, and carry out threat assessments without waiting for recommendations or requests from any party. According to her, the articles in the UU PSDK design LPSK as an agile, responsive institution that must dare to act quickly in emergency situations.
“This confinement case of YTR in Bandung Regency is the most real test. The victim is in a highly vulnerable situation. She may not know where to report, may not understand the protection mechanisms, and may even be gripped by fear of speaking out. This is precisely where LPSK’s duty to actively seek out cases must be carried out. LPSK cannot hide behind procedural pretexts. The UU PSDK has opened the widest possible space for LPSK to take protection initiatives,” Dewi said.
She emphasised that the proactive approach mandated by the UU PSDK is not merely about socialisation or ceremonial visits, but concrete actions: going to the location, identifying the victim, providing emergency protection, supplying a safe house, offering psychological support, and providing full legal advocacy.
“There must be no impression that a state institution is moving slowly while the victim lives in fear. I, as a representative of the people from West Java, feel it is my full concern that every citizen, especially women, feels safe and protected,” she added.
Furthermore, Dewi requested LPSK to coordinate intensively with the Bandung Resort Police and the local government. This synergy is considered crucial to open access to legal assistance services, psychological recovery, and safe houses for the victim while the legal process is ongoing.
Commission XIII of the DPR RI, as LPSK’s partner, will continue to oversee the handling of this case, particularly regarding the main duties and functions of LPSK. She assured that the parliament will not remain silent if the rights of victims of sexual crimes and violence are ignored.