Antara, Alexandra Helena, Jakarta – The Witness and Victim Protection Agency (LPSK) urged the House of Representatives (DPR) to consider the sexual violence elimination bill or RUU PKS as the priority that must be deliberated in the National Legislation Program in 2021.
LPSK argued that the ratification of the bill as a product of legislation is extremely urgent. "We encourage the bill to be included in the priority of the DPR discussion in 2021," said LPSK Deputy Chairperson, Livia Iskandar in her statement on Tuesday, October 6, 2020.
Livia said the problem was the increasing number of sexual abuse cases. The LPSK noted that at the end of September 2020, there were 223 witnesses and victims who submitted requests for protection in cases related to sexual harassment.
In 2018, LPSK protected 401 witnesses or victims, and the number increased to 507 in 2019. However, during the legal process, such cases were often deemed lacking the elements of a criminal act.
Therefore, Livia considered that it was vital to issue a law that was able to reach any form of sexual abuse cases. "In many cases, as the legal process cannot be resumed, victims often get counter-attacks from perpetrators, such as counter reports," she added.
The National Commission on Violence against Women (Komnas Perempuan) commissioner Veryanto Sitohang also urged the same issue given the high number of sexual harassment cases.
"Throughout 2011 to 2019, there were 46,698 cases of sexual violence that occurred in the personal and public domains," said Veryanto.