Violence Against Women In The Highest Papua In Indonesia, Must Be Overcome Immediately

Illustration - The number of violence against women in Papua is the highest in Indonesia, with a range of 200 cases per year. (papua.us)

JAKARTA - Women and violence in Papua are two things that have intensely attracted the attention of district/city governments in Bumi Cenderawasih because some women are still victims of physical or verbal violence.

Data from the Social Service for Women's Empowerment and Population stated that the number of victims of violence against women until the end of 2022 in Papua reached approximately 200 cases.

Violence against women, from the age range of children to adults from various circles, still often occurs in society.

In fact, women also have freedom and have the right to a sense of security and comfort to live life according to their choice.

Violence is not limited to physical action, but more broadly, including verbal violence against women.

Cases of violence against women have backgrounds of various backgrounds. One of them is due to the relationship between power and culture which considers men to have the right to regulate women's lives.

However, whatever the reason, physical violence should not happen to women, who should have the right to protection as citizens. In some cases, physical violence is generally carried out by those closest to them, such as family, friends, and co-workers/employees.

Another form of violence against women is verbal violence, in the form of harsh words, cursing, insulting, insulting, and degrading women's dignity.

verbal violence is generally also carried out by those closest to you. However, it is also often done by foreigners who are not known. While other types of violence are sexual violence also often experienced by women at all age ranges. Sexual violence is in the form of harassment, rape, to sexual harassment.

Sexual violence can happen anywhere and by anyone. Therefore, women must be wise in choosing friends and people in their association to protect and keep themselves from sexual violence.

For other types of violence that women often experience is mental violence for blaming each other.

Types of mental violence in the form of insults, bullying, discriminatory, and manipulative targeting women mentally.

However, along with the development of technology, unknown people can commit mental violence against women.

Violence against women and children in Papua will never stop if stakeholders in the regions, such as local governments, law enforcement agencies, universities, community organizations, religious institutions and traditional institutions are not proactive in taking part in concrete actions to prevent violence against women.

To prevent violence against women requires consistency of security forces or law enforcement agencies such as the Indonesian National Police and the Prosecutor's Office.

Law enforcement for perpetrators of violence against women in Papua must not be half-hearted but must consistently follow the rules.

Head of the Women's Empowerment and Children's Division of the Papua Province Women's Empowerment and Women's Empowerment Social Service, Yosephine Wansosa, said law enforcement for perpetrators of violence against women and children must be carried out in order to provide a deterrent effect on the perpetrators.

In addition to positive laws, the application of customary law can also be enforced, for example, the perpetrator is obliged to pay a fine or compensation. Legal and customary sanctions are considered sometimes not to provide a sense of justice for women victims of violence.

In fact, based on positive law, perpetrators of violence against women must be processed until completed at the local judiciary in order to provide legal certainty for victims and perpetrators of violence.

In addition, when perpetrators of cases of violence against women undergo a legal process to court, it will increase public confidence in law enforcement agencies.

Perpetrators of violence against women, according to legal rules, must be subject to severe sanctions in the form of imprisonment so as to have a deterrent effect on others.

If only customary fines are applied to perpetrators of violence against women, it does not provide a deterrent effect and does not cause legal justice for victims.

"Do not let any more perpetrators of criminal acts of violence against women - after paying customary legal fines to the families of the victims - then the criminal cases do not continue," said Yosephine as quoted by Antara on May 28, 2023.

There is still a settlement of cases of violence against women by prioritizing customary fines, not causing a deterrent effect for perpetrators of violence against women and children.

Cases like that still often occur in a number of regencies/cities in Papua on the pretext that they have paid customary fines, so cases of violence against women are stopped or do not continue to legal proceedings.

Law enforcement agencies are required to be more daring to process perpetrators of criminal acts of violence against women and children, in order to give confidence to victims in looking to a better future.

Supposedly, even though the perpetrator has paid a customary fine, cases of violence against women do not eliminate the criminal act of the person concerned.

Women who become victims of violence are judged to be unable to do anything after the perpetrators paid customary fines because after that, the perpetrator's legal case was terminated.

Another thing that other stakeholders also need attention related to preventing violence, namely stopping the circulation of alcoholic beverages.

There are many cases of violence against women and children in Papua, one of which is triggered by consuming alcoholic beverages. Therefore, this violent eruption factor must also be used.

Head of the Biak Numfor Regency Women's Empowerment Service for Child Protection, Yohana Naap, said that to prevent violence against women, it is necessary to strengthen the work network between law enforcement agencies.

The collaboration between law enforcement agencies is increasingly needed by the Government, so that perpetrators of violence against women can be dealt with firmly through the judiciary.

The day after tomorrow public awareness of the dangers of violence continues to increase. This is an important capital for the collaboration between parties.

Especially now that it is in the digital era so that cases of violence against women and children can be prevented by increasing the strengthening of social media networks with the Government, law enforcement officials, to women's and children's communities or activists.

Violence against women and children in Biak Numfor Regency as much as possible must be eliminated. Moreover, the Simphoni application has now been made to report cases of violence against child women using services online.

Strengthening networks between institutions providing women's protection services is expected to be an entry point for all law enforcement agencies in Papua.