Minister Arifah Condemns Sexual Violence against Women in Boyolali

JAKARTA - The Minister of Empowerment of Women and Child Protection (PPPA), Arifah Fauzi, strongly condemned the alleged case of sexual violence experienced by a 30-year-old woman from Boyolali Regency, Central Java Province.

The perpetrator in this case is suspected of being a well-known writer and artist in Solo with the initials PSHA (34).

Minister Arifah emphasized that sexual violence has no justification in any reason. He highlighted the element of manipulation in the case that befell the victim.

"Sexual violence in any form is an action that cannot be tolerated and justified. In this case, we understand that the victim experienced sexual violence that occurred in a personal relationship with psychological manipulation and power relations," said PPPA Minister Arifah Fauzi, in an official statement in Jakarta, Saturday, February 14.

The Ministry of PPPA has moved quickly by coordinating with the Population Control, Family Planning, Empowerment of Women and Child Protection (DP2KBP3A) Office of Boyolali Regency. This step was taken to ensure that the victims receive recovery services according to standards.

Currently, the victim has reportedly received services in the form of receiving complaints, psychosocial assistance, and referral to related institutions for further recovery processes.

The handling of this case is entirely based on Law Number 12 of 2022 concerning Sexual Violence Crimes (TPKS Law), which guarantees the victim's right to protection and recovery, as well as being free from intimidation.

However, Minister Arifah expressed concern about the alleged acts of intimidation carried out by officers against the victim during the handling process. He emphasized that such practices are violations of the principle of victim protection.

"Intimidation practices in any form cannot be justified. Every victim has the right to receive safe, friendly, and victim-friendly services in accordance with the applicable protection principles and service standards," he said.

Responding to the constraints in handling in the field, the Minister of PPPA encouraged the local government to immediately evaluate the human resources (HR) of service providers. He emphasized that the qualification of the victim's companion must be truly qualified so that there is no additional trauma for the victim.

"The state must be present to ensure that victims receive protection, recovery, and access to justice. The Ministry of PPPA will continue to monitor this case to ensure protection and justice for victims," concluded Minister Arifatul Choiri Fauzi.