We’ve read many accounts about the culture of street harassment many women have experienced in Jakarta, but a photo that has recently gone viral on social media in Indonesia illustrates just how pervasive it can be.
The photo, posted by Facebook user Novira Andraena, shows a man touching an elderly woman wearing a hijab on a public transportation minivan in Jakarta and has already been shared over 2,000 times.
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1841540375863902&set=a.212196032131686.58635.100000238737631&type=3
In the caption, Novira says that it was a clear case of sexual harassment and proof that it doesn’t just happen to young women wearing revealing clothing.
According to the caption, the incident happened while she was in an angkot minivan on Thursday morning going towards Sudimara Station in Tangerang. At the time the only passengers was Novira, the victim, the perpetrator and another man who was looking out onto the street.
Novira noticed that the perpetrator was sitting very close to the victim and then saw he was reaching over to touch her chest while she slept. And then he did it again. Not believing what she was seeing and scared, Novira said she watched in horror and took the photo.
Novira says she kept staring at the perpetrator until he finally stopped what he had been doing. The victim woke up and the angkot reached its final destination. She waited until the harasser was gone and then went up to the elderly victim and showed her the picture.
According to Novira, the victim was shocked and said, “Oh Lord, how could he do something like that, I’m already a nenek-nenek (grandmother).” Novira then accompanied her to her train.
At the end of the post, Novira writes, “For those of you who still have mothers, or you who have sisters, friends, or even girlfriends, please remind them to be careful on any transportation. Honestly, I am trembling and want to cry just remembering the incident.
Let’s remind each other. Let’s wake up our country by teaching men not to commit sexual harassment, verbal abuse or, even worse, rape. Because it’s no good just telling women what we should wear when the male mindset is still primitive.”
READ Fighting Back: The women working to end street harassment in Jakarta
Reader Interactions