BNPT: Patriarchism Has Andil Spreads Radicalism Understanding In Women

JAKARTA - Head of the Intelligence Analysis Section of the Indonesian National Counterterrorism Agency (BNPT) Leebarty Taskarina said patriarchism had a significant role in the spread of radicalism in women in the country.

This is according to the findings of his study which noted that of the 20 women who are perpetrators of terrorism, the invitation of the family, especially couples/husbands and brothers, is one of the biggest causes of women being involved in acts of terror.

"His direction again, the heinous act committed by the woman is considered as a form of obedience to his husband. This also indicates that the acts of terror carried out by women cannot be separated from the influence of male domination against him," Leebarty said in his statement, Friday, March 8, as reported by Antara.

According to him, the paradigm of Indonesian society in general still tends to limit women's opportunities to develop themselves so that it is seen as an opportunity by the terror network.

Radical groups and their networks, he continued, seem to provide an opportunity for women to be equal to men and be at the forefront of religious struggles so as to provide their own appeal for women.

"Therefore, women's agencies and semiautonomies in terrorist activities are actually motivated by the experience of suppression, victimization, manipulation, and mistification that preceds all of which are rooted in patriarchal culture," he said.

Leebary emphasized the importance of more comprehensive education so that Indonesian women understand that jihad should not be defined simply without the context of space, time, and purpose.

On the other hand, it is important to instill an understanding that terrorism is not in one breath by meaning jihad, and can even be realized in positive and simple ways in everyday women's lives.

He said that BNPT was here to participate in determining the direction of national policy which would result in a decrease in the number of women's involvement in the terror movement by approaching various aspects, ranging from ideology, psychosocial, economic and regulatory.

Regarding the regulatory aspect, he underlined that BNPT immediately formulated a policy that reached a typical woman experience and did not generalize prevention or handling policies by ignoring gender aspects in it.

"Stop spreading misoginism (hate to women) in the media because this actually promotes hatred for women trapped in radicalism. We must prepare an environment that supports women to develop careers and their lives without unilateral judgment. With a mature level of education, in the end women have high resistance to the radicalization process and can contribute to building a more tolerant and peaceful Indonesia," he said.