TII: Sampang rape case a moment to evaluate TPKS Law implementation
The Indonesian Institute (TII) has stated that the rape case involving a 15-year-old girl in Sampang Regency, East Java, should serve as a moment to evaluate the implementation of Law Number 12 of 2022 concerning Sexual Violence Crimes (UU TPKS).
Researcher for Social Affairs at the Center for Public Policy Research (TII), Made Natasya Restu Dewi Pratiwi, expressed her concern in Jakarta on Friday over the case, in which the girl was allegedly raped by 27 men between February and May 2026.
According to Natasya, the Sampang case demonstrates that the existence of the UU TPKS has not yet been fully capable of protecting children from the threat of sexual violence, which can occur in their immediate surroundings, including family, peers, and the communities where children interact.
‘Good regulations will not provide real protection if law enforcement, prevention systems, reporting mechanisms, case handling, and victim recovery services are not yet running effectively and with a victim-centred perspective,’ she said.
She explained that sexual violence against children not only robs them of a sense of safety but also threatens the victim’s future, particularly their mental health, reproductive health, education, and long-term quality of life.
Therefore, she said, the state must ensure that perpetrators are held maximally accountable under the applicable law and guarantee comprehensive recovery for victims.
Furthermore, Natasya reminded that sexual violence does not occur suddenly but is influenced by a culture that normalises sexual violence, or rape culture.
‘When society still tolerates jokes that demean women, blames victims, or considers sexual violence a taboo issue to report, we are building a space that allows sexual violence to keep recurring. Breaking the chain of sexual violence means stopping this normalisation from the very beginning,’ she said.
Natasya also urged the government to strengthen cross-sector coordination between law enforcement officials, schools, health facilities, women and child protection services, and the community so that every case can be handled quickly, comprehensively, and oriented towards the best interests of the child.