Women's trauma

Women's trauma

From Merdeka

The realization of people's sovereignty through a general election, a change in the country's powerholders and brokered peace in conflict areas are highly susceptible to bloodshed. Violence is being used as a response to the problems of political uncertainty, inertia of the law and economic turbulence.

Arson, torture, rape, killing and slaughter have taken place in a number of areas: Ambon, Banyuwangi, Jakarta, Ketapang, Kupang, Liquica, Palembang, Purbalingga, Sambas and Solo. There are no signs that all this will automatically stop. The nation is in darkness. It is this darkness which creates a specific trauma for women. Women become victims of sexual violence in the attacks directed at them.

Thousands of women, ripped from their daily lives, walk long distances over many kilometers, give birth in trucks and lose track of their relatives as they are forced to become refugees looking for protection. Their shelters turn out to be emergency camps crowded with people, sometimes isolated, roofless, lacking food and medicine, with awful sanitation and a high risk of disease.

Outside conflict areas, in their own houses, an increasing number of women face threats and violence from their husbands, who vent their anxiety and anger caused by the protracted crisis. The impact of this will last into the next generation.

Kartini said: "After darkness there will be light". Where is the turning point of the darkness toward the brightness of peace?

Women have the potential to play a large role in resolving this situation of violence because women are the first victims of violence. The National Commission on Anti-Violence against Women invites all Indonesian women to become peace brokers in their respective environments.

All the activities in the context of the general election, the change of power and peacekeeping in conflict areas must be safe and imbued with human integrity. The commission demands, especially of the General Elections Commission and the government apparatus, including the Armed Forces, the necessary guarantees of peace to the whole nation be turned into reality.

National Commission on Anti-Violence

Against Women

Jakarta