Sasak women victims of serious domestic violence

Sasak women victims of serious domestic violence

Rita A. Widiadana, The Jakarta Post, Mataram

The island of Lombok in West Nusa Tenggara province is famous
for its tourist resorts, traditional woven clothes and cidomo
horse carriages.

Lombok even markets itself as an alternative tourist
destination to neighboring island Bali by highlighting its three
famous smaller islands called Gili Meno, Gili Air and Gili
Trawangan, not to mention the white sand beach along Senggigi.

Despite being famous for its natural beauty, Lombok - where
the provincial capital of Mataram is located - is also notorious
for the large number of female victims of domestic violence.

In the period between February and September 2001, Indonesian
Legal Aid for Women's Empowerment (LBH Apik) recorded 157 cases
of violence against women. Forty four of the victims have
implemented legal proceedings.

Executive director of LBH Apik, Beauty Erawati, said most
Sasak (Lombok island ethnic) women have no power to defend
themselves against any possible violence that might affect them.

"Many Sasak women have suffered from domestic violence, mostly
in the form of sexual and physical harassment and rape," she
said.

More than 90 percent of rapes are committed by the victims'
brothers, other close family members, close friends, neighbors or
acquaintances.

"Women are under the influence of their dominating fathers,
brothers and husbands," Beauty said, adding that women are
obliged to follow their husbands' demands and orders.

Just like women anywhere in the world, Sasak women believe
they must take care of their husbands and children.

But they cannot say "no", especially if their husbands are
about to marry another woman. Challenging their husbands' wishes
will see them labeled as "sinners".

"The husbands usually engage in acts of violence, such as
beating, when they disagree with their wife's decision," Beauty
said.

However, cases of abuse have traditionally remained hidden,
especially in the past, as Sasak women have been too afraid even
to complain.

"Most of them keep their marital problems to themselves. They
put their bad marriages down to destiny, something that is not
for public consumption. It's just the tip of the iceberg. There
must be a lot more unreported cases," she said.

The most common reason for not reporting domestic violence is
that the women have no idea where to go. Police have been paying
little attention to such cases.

"Police tend to ignore reports of domestic violence, saying it
is common and nothing more than minor marital disputes," Beauty
explained.
If a case were to be taken to court, the defendant would receive
a very lenient punishment. "This will certainly encourage men to
undermine women."

Another problem suffered by women in Lombok is the low number
of female students in school as they are forced to marry early
and face the risk of out of wedlock pregnancies.

Violence against women occurs nationwide in various forms but
it is a challenge for the National Family Planning Coordinating
Board (BKKBN) to apply its quality family vision that has yet to
receive adequate attention.

Domestic violence is clearly pervasive and undoubtedly
contributes to the increasing divorce rates and other negative
family outcomes. It is an urgent social problem that needs first
to be studied qualitatively and quantitatively and secondly
addressed not only at the family but also at the community and
state levels.

Prevailing attitudes toward women and their role in society
may explain why reproductive rights and women's empowerment are
placed at the very center of BKKBN's long-term strategy. Women
are valued most in their role as "givers," both honored and
expected to make continuing sacrifices for the welfare of
"family, community, nation and state."