Journalistic ethic

Journalistic ethic

In your editorial Time for action (March 23, 1996) you made
valid comments about the current inappropriate and unacceptable
attitudes in Indonesian society towards rape. Unfortunately some
of these inappropriate attitudes still prevail amongst your
journalists.

In an otherwise factual report about crimes in the Bekasi
area, your journalist thought it relevant to inform us that
police investigations had revealed that most of the victims had
not been wearing underwear when their assailants had broken into
their home.

Whilst this bizarre line of police investigation highlights
the need for radical changes in society's attitudes towards rape
and sexual assault, there is no need for The Jakarta Post to
compound the problem by giving space to such irrelevancies.

I hope that future reports about rapes and sexual assaults
will be consistent with the commendable line adopted in your
editorials.

LYNNE JACOTINE

Jakarta