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)