Rape cases soar by 25 percent over past year amid legal limbo
Rape cases soar by 25 percent over past year amid legal limbo
Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Despite a declining trend among most recorded crimes in the city,
the number of rape cases has significantly soared -- by 25
percent -- this year. Women's rights activists, as well as
police, blame legal limbo as one of the main factors behind such
an astounding rise.
Year-end data at the Jakarta Police Headquarters made
available to The Jakarta Post show that the number of reported
rape cases has been increasing significantly during the past
three years.
There have been 134 reported cases this year as compared to
107 in 2002 and 89 in 2001.
The rising trend is in contrast to the overall criminal
activity in the city, like robbery, auto theft, drug-related
crimes and extortion, which all show a declining tendency.
An activist of non-governmental organization Mitra Perempuan,
Rita Serena Kolibonso, blamed the government for its failure in
taking significant measures to improve the existing laws and
regulations to provide better protection of women and children
from rape and other sexual offenses and to impose heavier
sentences on rapists.
"So far, the government has done nothing significant to revise
the law on rape. The crime will surely continue to increase as a
result," she told the Post on Tuesday.
She lamented legal loopholes, which were abound in the
existing law, that opens up greater opportunities for rapists to
evade rape charges or other sexual molestation charges.
"Take for instance, a lower sentence sought for those who have
committed sexual harassment of underaged children than to those
who have committed rape, show that the law is a failure, does not
protect children and to does not impose heavy sentences on the
offenders," she said.
According to Criminal Code's article 285 on rape, a rapist can
face a maximum sentence of just 12 years in jail if convicted.
The sentence is nonetheless heavier than sentences sought for
those who have sexually molested underage children. According to
the code's article 282, sexual offenses of underage children are
only subject to a maximum sentence of between three months and
nine months in prison.
"The government is in dire need to review the existing law on
rape. Otherwise, every effort to enforce the law (on the rapists)
and to protect women and children will be to no avail as the
offenders can walk free owing to weak charges," she asserted.
Sharing Rita's concern, a senior police investigator, who is
in charge of handling sexual offenses and rape cases with Jakarta
Police Headquarters, said that in many rape cases, the police
found it difficult to build charges against suspected rapists.
"We will welcome any revisions to the law, which cover broader
sexual offenses to women and children and impose heavier
sentences on the culprits. Such revisions will help us build
strong charges against the offenders," said the policewoman, who
requested anonymity.
Number of most recorded crimes in Jakarta 2001-2003
Crimes 2001 2002 2003
Rape 89 107 134
Burglary 5,093 4,567 5,524
Auto theft 6,466 6,180 5,788
Extortion 524 594 547
Robbery 2,647 2,546 1,822
Aggravated assault 1,225 1,372 1,134
Homicide 73 65 65
Source: Jakarta Police Yearend Report 2003