Indonesia passes new sexual violence law amid growing cases

April 12, 2022
1 MIN READ
A
A+
A-

 Indonesia’s parliament Tuesday approved a far-reaching law setting punishments for sexual violence after being spurred into action by a recent case in which an Islamic boarding school principal raped and impregnated several students.

The legislation had languished for years amid arguments it has a liberal feminist ideology that contravenes religious and cultural values in the world’s biggest Muslim-majority nation.

The law recognizes men and children can be victims of sexual violence. Indonesia’s Criminal Code, is a legacy of the Dutch colonial era. recognizes only rape and lewd crimes committed by men against women and doesn’t have provisions for restitution or other remedies for victims and survivors.

Nine forms of sexual violence are recognized in the law: physical and nonphysical sexual harassment, sexual torture, forced contraception, forced sterilization, forced marriage, sexual slavery, sexual exploitation, and cyber sexual harassment.