House Member Urges Government to Guarantee Recovery of Sampang Sexual Assault Victim

Jakarta (ANTARA) - House of Representatives member Amelia Anggraini has urged the government to guarantee the recovery of a 15-year-old girl who was a victim of sexual assault in Sampang, East Java. She stated that the victim’s recovery is no less important than law enforcement efforts against the perpetrators. The recovery that must be provided to the victim includes psychological, medical, legal, and social assistance, as well as ensuring the continuity of the victim’s education, while protecting her from identity exposure. She said that this heinous crime against a minor is not just an ordinary offence, but a loud alarm signalling the failure of the child protection system. She urged the police to immediately arrest all suspects who are still at large and to resolve the case professionally. For alleged perpetrators who are still minors, they must be processed legally according to the juvenile criminal justice system so that legal accountability is upheld. In addition, she requested that digital communication traces be secured and thoroughly examined. However, she asked the public and the media to avoid drawing conclusions that have not been proven by investigators. ‘The state must not only be present when a case has gone viral. The state must be present from prevention until the victim has truly recovered,’ she said. Previously, the East Java Regional Police and the Provincial Social Service provided psychological assistance to the minor who was a victim of rape in Sampang Regency, a case currently being investigated by the local police. Sampang Police Chief AKBP Hartono stated on Tuesday (14/7) that the assistance from the East Java Police and the Provincial Social Service was provided because the victim admitted to being severely traumatised after the incident. Police have arrested 12 suspects and are still hunting for 15 other perpetrators who have been placed on the wanted list. ‘Teams from these two institutions have visited the victim’s home, and she has even undergone psychiatric examinations twice as part of the trauma recovery effort,’ he said.