Pillorying rapists may hurt victims

Pillorying rapists may hurt victims

JAKARTA (JP): A mass communication expert warned that the plan
to expose the photographs and identities of convicted rapists to
the public through television could have negative repercussions
for their victims.

Alwi Dahlan said the media publicity given to a rape case
could eventually draw people's attention to the rape victims, who
have to carry the trauma for the rest of their lives, the Antara
news agency reported.

"The proposal must be carefully weighed, especially in terms
of the benefits and the costs," said the staff lecturer at the
University of Indonesia's post graduate study program.

He insisted that the psychological effect on the victims must
be a factor in the consideration.

Alwi, who is also deputy chairman of the BP7, the Presidential
Advisory Board on matters of Pancasila ideology, underlined that
most rape victims are still reluctant to come forward and report
their ordeal for fear that publicity, especially from the media,
would be generated.

Minister of Women's Role Mien Sugandhi made the controversial
proposal early this month. She said she wanted the state
television network TVRI to broadcast the photographs of rapists
due to its deterrent impact.

Her proposal was widely supported by women's organizations,
which have found that the courts of law have been too lenient in
punishing rapists. The Congress of Indonesian Women, which is an
umbrella group for over 70 women organizations, describes
pillorying as the next best thing to a death sentence.

The government is now considering the proposal.

Alwi said the authorities must approach the issue carefully.

He said television is a powerful media and its coverage of
criminal cases, including rape, must be tightly supervised.

He noted that there is a tendency for the public to consider a
defendant guilty if the cases receives wide media attention.

He pointed out the way television covered the death of a young
businessman in which starlet Ria Irawan was implicated. He also
cited the situation of the former directors of Bapindo, a state-
owned bank, in a huge loan scandal. Both were highly publicized
cases this year. (emb)