By Fawnia
Yuyun is an ordinary Indonesian teen that didn’t stand out from other Indonesian girls residing in Bengkulu, Indonesia. What she had to experience, though, is far from trivial.
On Saturday, 2 April, Yuyun went missing. A search for the girl began, but to no avail. Three days later, on 4 April, her body was found in the neighboring rubber plantation. Lifeless, naked with her hands bound – this tragic finding didn’t make it to the news until another month.
Yuyun was only 14 when she was murdered brutally.
Prior to her death, Yuyun had been gang-raped by 14 different men, most of them are under 20 years of age. Around 12 noon, Yuyun was on her way home from the school, passing by thickets and trees, when she encountered a group of drunken teenagers. A closer investigation revealed that the perpetrators were drunk after consuming a large amount of tuak, an Indonesian alcoholic beverage better known as palm wine. The juvenile offenders later revealed that they frequently watched pornographic videos in their free time.
The heartbreaking case of Yuyun is definitely not the first in Indonesia, and unfortunately, not the last. However, Yuyun’s case is powerful enough to draw the attention of the media and the public, putting pressure on the government to take serious action on the matter.
ENO PARINAH
Not long after the revelation of Yuyun’s rape case shook Indonesia, another gruesome death has surfaced. Eno Parinah, aged only 19, was murdered by her 15-year-old boyfriend, after she refused to have intercourse with him. Furious, he then returned with another two friends. They raped her, and in cold blood inserted the handle of a hoe into her genitalia, causing her death. Upon autopsy, it was then made public the handle penetrated deep into her ribs, crushing her liver and lungs in the process.
A police officer who handled the case, AKBP Lilik Hariati then gave her controversial two cents on the matter – implying Eno Parinah had caused her own death by saying hurtful things to the rapists.
HOW DOES THE GOVERNMENT REACT?
Although sexual violence against children and women in Indonesia has been going for years, it seems only recently the government realised the weight of the matter.
As child molesters have recently concerned the public, President Joko Widodo issued a new regulation aimed at punishing child rapists severely. The regulation includes the chemical castration of child rapists as a form of punishment. Furthermore, he legalised an even tougher sanction – the use of death penalty. The president’s words echoed his stance on the matter: “Extraordinary crimes need to be handled in extraordinary manner.”
The regulation in lieu of law was signed on 25 May. The new regulation is expected to lower the number of sexual violence cases, especially in children. The House of Representative also urged the government to take care of necessary regulations so that the regulation could immediately take into effect. The regulation in lieu of law (Perppu) has come a long way, with some view the such measure is unnecessary. The President’s standing remained unchanged, though, as he also allowed the implantation of microchip even after the sentence is served and to publicly made the identity of sexual offenders known. Muhammad Iqbal, Vice Secretary of PPP Fraction in People’s Representative Council feels the chemical castration is an effective method to make sure there’s no more repetitive offenders.
This prompt action taken by the President has been lauded by lawmakers and the citizens alike. Comments in various news sites have revealed the public’s approval on the heightened punishment. ‘Netizens’ even urged the President to impose the death penalty to the rapists of Yuyun; disregarding their young age. The hash tags #NyalaUntukYuyun and #LightUpForYuyun have been used as a way to raise awareness on the case. Following the announcement of the policy, more posts including such hash tag are surfacing. With over 11,600 posts on Instagram, the hash tag is a strong reminder for the government that the public demands a fair judgment on the case.
Commissioner of the Indonesian Child Protection Commission, Erlinda, further encouraged the government to facilitate sex education in Indonesia. She deemed such step is necessary, since most of the youths in Indonesia are still having limited knowledge when it comes to religious values, ethics, and norms of sex. As a result, many tend to absorb wrong information through the widespread malicious material found in the Internet. She also encouraged parents to take proactive steps in educating their children about sex, and instead of considering it something taboo, the parents should view it as a way of protecting their children.
Visible action taken by the government provides a certain degree of relief for concerned citizens, especially parents. Children and women alike are constantly under danger of such traumatising felony. The national issue is certainly not an easy one to solve, but providing a legal basis for a more relentless sentence is always a good start.
Nonetheless, it would be even better if the government can be more attentive to the victims, whether in a form of rehabilitation, counseling, or restitution. Additional fund may need to be spent, but instead of focusing merely on punishing the offenders, the government also needs to do whatever in their capability to minimise the aftermath of the horrific crime.
