Police in Deli Serdang, North Sumatra have arrested seven vocational high school (SMK) students who have been charged with the rape of a female schoolmate.
The victim, who is identified by her initial D, was allegedly raped at the school lab recently. Her parents reported eight possible culprits to the local police on March 31.
“From eight of the possible culprits, seven have been named suspects for rape and molestation,” said Commissioner Muhammad Firdaus, who heads Deli Serdang Police’s Crime Investigation Unit, as quoted by Merdeka yesterday.
The seven suspects may face up to 15 years in prison each if convicted. Meanwhile, D was reportedly traumatized by the incident and has refused to go to school since.
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 Joko Widodo to issue a decree to introduce more severe punishments, including death and chemical castration, 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.
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