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)