Expose rapists on TV, Mien Sugandhi says

Expose rapists on TV, Mien Sugandhi says

JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Women's Roles Mien Sugandhi further
pressed yesterday her controversial proposal that television
stations broadcast the photographs of rapists which, she says, is
a way of curbing sexual violence against women.

"Imposing stiff penalties such as airing rapists' photographs
on TV is a means of minimizing the pervasive violence against
women," she said, while opening a workshop on violence against
women.

The minister also proposed that the criminal code be amended
to include penalties for people who sexually abuse, trade in,
exploit and discriminate against women.

She said the criminal code should address in more detail the
various forms of violence against and exploitation of women, as
well as instances of women being denied their basic rights.

Mien's proposal to air the photographs of rapists on the
state-controlled television station, TVRI, as a deterrent,
sparked a heated controversy last year.

Her proposal received a positive response from the head of the
Indonesian Women's Congress (Kowani), Enny Busiri, who said that
setting rapists in the pillory via television would be the next
best thing to a death sentence for rapists.

Also impressed by Mien's suggestion was Director General for
Radio, Television and Film Alex Leo Zulkarnaen. He said that the
proposal was worth looking into.

Among those against the idea is communication expert Alwi
Dahlan, who argues that broadcasting the photographs and
identities of rapists could have negative repercussions for the
rape victims, who have to live with the trauma for the rest of
their lives.

Mien told the participants of the two-day workshop, who
numbered about 100, that women should have unlimited access to
education which, she believes, is a proper way to improve their
image.

She said that in many traditional systems around the globe,
women are considered to have lower status than men. "Women have
their rights to education to liberate themselves from men's
domination," she said.

The minister said violence against women, which is still
prevalent in Indonesia as well as other countries, was a social
problem that required more serious attention from all quarters.

The two-day workshop featured well-known local feminists, such
as Julia I. Suryakusuma and Nursyahbani Katjasungkana, and
criminologist Dhia Prekasha Yoedha.

Nursyahbani, who is director of the group Solidarity for
Women, said that the criminal code had yet to stipulate
punishments for crimes against women.

The criminal code mentions only crimes against morality such
as pornography, adultery, rape, abortion and prostitution, she
said.

She said that although the criminal code does stipulate that
anyone found guilty of violence against women face a jail
sentence of up to 20 years, it did not clearly specify the sorts
of crime.

Nursyahbani called on courts to hand down stiffer sentences to
rapists and those convicted of crimes against women.

Dhia said there was a long-held belief in Indonesian society
that women were inferior to men and that women were treated
accordingly.

"As long as the belief prevails, women will remain a subject
of exploitation by men," he said. (rms)