NGOs, activists slam sexist ad

NGOs, activists slam sexist ad

JAKARTA (JP): A public service advertisement on crimes against
women published in a magazine has drawn strong criticism from
women activists and various non-governmental organizations.

The two-page ad, which appeared in the last issue of the Forum
Keadilan magazine depicts the thighs of a woman in a tight mini
skirt, with a text between the thighs reading "How can sexual
crime rates get lower, if your skirts rise higher?"

Lawyer Nursyahbani Katjasungkana led the outcry in a statement
denouncing the advertisement and demanded it be withdrawn.

The protesters also demanded that the Indonesian Association
of Advertising Companies uphold and supervise the implementation
of their code of ethics.

A statement sent to The Jakarta Post said the advertisement
reduces the complexity of sexual crimes. "What about the facts
which show that victims ...consist of children to grandmothers?"

"The advertisement has (turned) victims of sexual crimes into
defendants," it said.

The advertisement was ran by Forum Keadilan in cooperation
with the Adwork Euro RSCG Ball Partnership agency. Bisnis
Indonesia daily has also published the advertisement.

Chief editor of Forum Keadilan, Karni Ilyas, said he had
received a copy of the protest, along with other letters
objecting to the advertisement.

He told the Post he had questioned the wisdom of the
advertisement himself when it was proposed and felt that it was
not fit for publication. "I also don't feel it is women
themselves who cause the crimes against them," Karni said.

"As you know the editorial department is generally not
involved in deciding what ads to accept," he said. "But I said
that from now on the (marketing) department should consult
editors if they are in doubt."

In response to whether the advertisement was deliberately
provocative, Karni said he did not see it like that. "It's not a
commercial, it has nothing to sell," he said. (anr)