Sex crime victims lack protection: Experts

Sex crime victims lack protection: Experts

JAKARTA (JP): Noted law expert Loebby Loqman has sought a
revision of the Criminal Code so that it covers a wider range of
sexual crimes and affords victims better protection.

Speaking at a seminar organized by the Association of
Indonesian Moslem Intellectuals (ICMI) here on Wednesday, Loebby
said the definition of sexual crimes, including rape, should be
revised because the existing definitions were too narrow.

As an example, he pointed out that Article 285 on rape does
not cover marital rape.

Last year, the Women's Association for Justice (APIK) reported
that cases of violence against women increased by 125 percent to
227 from 111 in 1996.

Loebby is a member of the Criminal Code revision team led by
Mardjono Reksodiputro.

Criminologist Tb. Ronny Nitibaskara, who also spoke at the
seminar, shared Loebby's opinion and said that many other sexual
offenses such as exhibitionism, pedophilia and necrophilia have
also yet to be included in the Criminal Code.

"These sexual (offenses) should be inserted in the new
Criminal Code," he said.

Jimly Assihiddiqie, a professor of law at the University of
Indonesia, said sexual crimes included rape, sexual abuse and
prostitution.

He acknowledged the criminal law as it stands does not provide
the victims of sexual crime with legal protection.

"The Criminal Code should not only sanction the perpetrators
of sexual crimes, it should provide their victims with legal
protection," he said.

Jimly argued that the practice of handing fines collected from
offenders over to the state was wrong and said they should
instead be paid to the victims to compensate them for the trauma
they have suffered.

Another speaker, noted psychiatrist Dadang Hawari, said the
criminal law did not adequately protect victims, despite the
psychological scars the crimes left behind.

"In rape cases, victims often suffer from post-traumatic
stress for the rest of their lives," he pointed out.

Loebby also said that to help protect victims, the law should
stipulate harsher sanctions for all sexual crime. The present
Criminal Code carries a maximum punishment of 12 years
imprisonment and does not specify a minimum sanction for such
offenses.

He said that a minimum punishment of three years imprisonment
has been inserted into the draft revision of the Criminal Code
that will soon be submitted to the House of Representatives for
deliberation. (01)