UGM’s Southeast Asian Social Study Center (PSSAT) collaborated with One Billion Raising Yogyakarta movement held a workshop on strengthening social awareness entitled WORKSHOP ON STANDS AGAINST SEXUAL VIOLENCE: Rise! Disrupt! Connect! on Friday (31/3) at UGM Inter-University Center. This event became a form of their concerns on giving comprehension about sexual violence and how to prevent as well as handle it to the society who came from various backgrounds.
“The victims of sexual violence are not only coming from women and children but also men,” said Meike Karolus as the workshop committee chairperson on Monday (3/4).
Since 2016, the Centre has consistently studied sexual violence in social context in Southeast Asian region. Moreover, as a study center which has a responsibility for community services, it commits to moving together with the society in giving education through training and workshop. Sexual violence cases, according to Meike, are not only an issue which has been facing a particular community, but also one of issues facing the world. Therefore, the Centre raises activist movement which demands legal protection and assistance for the victims.
Furthermore, she explained the National Committee on Anti-Violence Against Women declared the forms of sexual violence are regulated in Bill on Sexual Violence Eradication include 15 kinds of sexual violences of which 13 have yet to be stated in Indonesian laws, including sexual intimidation or rape attempt, abortion coercion, coercion of contraception or sterilization, sexual conviction, and sexual control. The other issue which is essential to be addressed as soon as possible is the fact that most of perpetrators of sexual violence are closely related people such as husband, family member, boyfriend, or other intimate partners.
“For example, in Sragen Regency, 98% of children rape cases happened in their houses by their closely related people,” she added.
In Yogyakarta, the number of sexual violence victims in women and children who have yet to be married is 243 people. Therefore, the government issued the Regional Regulation Number 3 in 2012 about protection of women and children who become the sexual violence victim in Yogyakarta, which includes giving protection to them against physical, psychological, and sexual violence as well as giving treatment and assistance.
This workshop was not only attended by students and lecturers, but also society and activists. In the workshop, the participants were given knowledge to map the sexual violence by analyzing cases, ways to prevent, and how to handle if they see or experience a sexual violence, as well as information about institutions and counseling groups which treat sexual violence victims. In general, the participants gave positive response to the workshop. This is expected to give comprehensive understanding on sexual violence as well as build solidarity for the victims.
“All this while, we found many sexual violence cases, but we do not know how to handle them. This workshop helps us handle this problem,” said Sr. Teresa Triastuti, OP, one of the workshop participants.