House Urges Comprehensive Recovery for Sampang Gang Rape Victim
What matters most is ensuring the enforcement of regulations protecting children.
Member of the DPR RI, Amelia Anggraini, has called for guarantees of recovery support for the victim of a rape in Sampang, East Java, involving dozens of perpetrators.
Amelia asserted that the state’s focus must not rest solely on pursuing the perpetrators, but also on securing the victim’s future. According to her, comprehensive recovery encompasses psychological, medical, legal and social aspects, as well as the continuity of the victim’s education.
“The state must not only be present when a case has gone viral. The state must be present from prevention through to the victim’s full recovery,” Amelia said in Jakarta on Saturday (18 July).
Beyond recovery, Amelia urged the police to act professionally in resolving the case. She pressed for all suspects still at large to be arrested immediately. Regarding the underage perpetrators, she emphasised that legal proceedings must proceed in accordance with the juvenile criminal justice system.
Amelia also offered specific recommendations on the handling of digital evidence and the protection of the victim’s privacy.
According to the Sampang Police Chief AKBP Hartono, trauma recovery efforts for the rape victim in Sampang have begun, led by the East Java Regional Police together with the East Java Provincial Social Affairs Office. The victim is reported to be suffering severe trauma as a result of the incident.
“Teams from both institutions have visited the victim’s home, and the victim has already undergone two psychiatric examinations as part of the trauma recovery efforts,” AKBP Hartono explained on Tuesday (14 July).
The Ministry of Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection (Kemen PPPA) is overseeing the child rape case in Sampang. A deputy at the ministry has suggested that the punishment of chemical castration should be re-evaluated due to the risk of repeat offences.
The National Commission on Violence against Women (Komnas Perempuan) supports police efforts to follow up on the case through comprehensive law enforcement by applying the relevant articles of law.
The Indonesian Child Protection Commission (KPAI) views the sexual violence case against the child in Sampang, involving 27 perpetrators, as a reflection of a national parenting crisis and the influence of the digital world.
KPAI highlighted the case of sexual violence against a 15-year-old child by 27 perpetrators in Sampang as a sign of a child protection crisis and the strength of rape culture.
The Sampang Police have arrested 12 of the 27 suspects in the sexual violence case against the 15-year-old victim. Police are still pursuing 15 other perpetrators who remain on the wanted list.