Sexual abuse victim seeks help from women group

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Lawyers acting for the victim of a sexual assault allegedly carried out by a TV drama actor reported the incident to the National Commission on Violence Against Women (Komnas Perempuan) on Wednesday, seeking support and solidarity for the victim.

After the closed-door meeting, Komnas Perempuan's head of its monitoring subcommission, Murniati, warned journalists who packed the commission's offices against overpublicizing the victim's plight.

As the suspect, F, who stars in a television teen flick, has denied the rape, dozens of reporters and cameramen from infotainment television programs and the press tried to get an interview with the victim's lawyers. The latter managed to escape the media.

Murniati said that the press had to consider carefully the victim's psychological circumstances.

"Publicity can leave the victim more depressed," she said.

Since the incident was publicized on Tuesday, several infotainment and celebrity gossip programs on TV have broadcast the victim's name and even shown her face.

The victim was reportedly raped by F, formerly her high school boyfriend, on Monday in a hotel room at Hotel Maharani, South Jakarta.

About four hours later, the victim and her mother reported the alleged sexual assault to Mampang Prapatan police station, located near the hotel.

After examining evidence in the hotel room and the result of a physical examination, which indicated a tear to the victim's genitals, the police charged F with violating Articles 285 and 286 of the Criminal Code on rape and, more seriously, rape of an unconscious woman.

The articles carry the maximum punishment of nine years and 12 years imprisonment respectively.

The police interrogated F for several hours and he is now in police custody.