Last year, Indonesian President Joko Widodo introduced the death penalty and chemical castration as possible punishments for child sex offenders following public outcry over the murder and gang rape of a teenage girl.
But horrifying cases of child sex abuse continue to occur in Indonesia. The latest to enter the national media spotlight is the case of a 14-year-old girl, who was allegedly the victim of statutory and forcible rape by 10 different men in Banjarnegara Regency, Central Java.
According to the authorities, the girl began befriending an adult male last year, who convinced her to have intercourse with him. Over time, nine of his acquaintances threatened and then forcibly raped her.
After receiving reports about the alleged rapes, local police went on to arrest seven of the suspects.
“The other three are still being hunted down,” said Sapto Nugroho, head of the Crime Investigation Unit at the Banjarnegara Police, as quoted by Merdeka yesterday.
The 14-year-old reportedly quit school because of the attacks. Under child protection laws, the suspects may face up to 15 years in prison or a fine of Rp 5 billion each, though castration and the death penalty are also possibilities.
The case is sadly reminiscent of the fate suffered by Yuyun, a 14-year-old who was raped and killed by 14 boys and men, including her boyfriend, in April 2016. Yuyun’s case was pushed into the national spotlight due to the efforts of feminist activists around Indonesia, prompting President Jokowi to issue a decree to introduce more severe punishments against child sex offenders.
However, critics argue that such punishments would not act as a long-term deterrent against child sex abuse in Indonesia. With horrific cases like this continuing to occur, plus many more that go unreported, perhaps these critics do have a point, and what we really need are more decisive laws to protect everyone, adult and children alike, against sexual abuse.
