What should be done about 70% of women experiencing violence at work?

Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia - The issue of violence against women remains a serious topic that attracts attention at every International Women’s Day celebration held on 8 March. Violence, in its various forms, can be experienced by anyone, anywhere, including in the workplace.

An International Labour Organization (ILO) report in 2022 showed a workplace violence emergency in Indonesia, with 70.93% of 1,173 respondents having experienced it. Unfortunately, despite the alarming statistics, official reporting rates remain low, with most victims choosing to remain silent.

Gender activist and executive director of the Pulih Foundation, Livia Iskandar, said the underreporting is mainly due to consequences that may arise, including the risk of losing employment.

“It takes courage to speak up because the consequences are numerous,” Livia said at the Beauty That Moves: International Women’s Day event on Thursday (5/3/2026).

Although Indonesia already has the Sexual Violence Crimes Act, Livia noted that there is still a lot of work to do, namely creating safe spaces and an enabling environment to counter and prevent violence against women.

Tips for spotting red flags at the workplace

Livia shared important tips for women to find workplaces that can provide a sense of safety for everyone. In the interview stage, she said, it is important to ask about a company’s policies or initiatives aimed at preventing cases of violence in the workplace.

Melanie Masriel, Chief of Corporate Affairs, Engagement & Sustainability at L’Oréal Indonesia, added that candidates could also ask whether there is a whistle-blower programme. This could be a serious indicator of how seriously an organisation is creating a safe space for all its workers.

Melanie continued that L’Oréal Indonesia has a Speak Up platform created to build a culture of reporting all forms of violence, injustice, and other discrimination. “We have standard operating procedures for investigating reports, including if there is sexual violence,” Melanie said. “We ensure that our workplaces are free from violence.”

Data from the 2024 CATAHU by Komnas Perempuan records 445,502 cases of Gender-Based Violence against Women (KBGtP) in Indonesia during 2024, an increase of more than 43,000 cases compared with the previous year. In the digital era, gender-based violence is increasingly occurring in online spaces, broadening the risks faced by women in daily life.