Sexual Violence Against Child in Sampang: Perpetrators Could Face Chemical Castration

A criminal law academic from Trisakti University, Azmi Syahputra, has urged the application of chemical castration for the perpetrators of a premeditated and mass sexual assault against a 15-year-old girl in Sampang Regency, East Java. He stressed that the actions of the 27-member group have destroyed the child’s future. “For cases of premeditated and mass sexual crimes against children, there is no room for compromise or tolerance. The maximum possible sentence must be imposed to deliver justice for the victim, support the psychological recovery of the family, and demonstrate that the state does not neglect child protection,” Azmi told Media Indonesia on Monday. Azmi explained that Indonesia’s legal instruments are more than adequate to deliver a significant deterrent effect. Juridically, the perpetrators can be charged under Article 81 paragraphs (1), (3), and (5) in conjunction with Article 76D of Law Number 17 of 2016 on Child Protection, as well as the Sexual Violence Crime Law (UU TPKS Number 12 of 2022). Under these provisions, the principal prison sentence can be increased by a third because the crime was committed collectively. “Furthermore, additional penalties such as chemical castration, public disclosure of the perpetrators’ identities, and even life imprisonment should be applied if the victim suffers permanent severe injury or deep trauma. Our legal system already possesses sharp teeth to provide a deterrent effect,” he elaborated. Azmi believes the quality of law enforcement in Indonesia is now being tested. The resolution of this case now rests with the police, prosecutors, and the panel of judges who will hear the matter in court. He called on law enforcement officials to demonstrate moral courage and a progressive vision for child protection, ensuring they do not hesitate to impose a punishment commensurate with the victim’s suffering. “They must be brave enough to apply the maximum threat, to impose the death penalty or life imprisonment on the group of perpetrators of this sexual violence against a child,” he concluded.