Minister Of PPPA: TPKS Bill Adds Evidence For Sexual Violence Cases

Minister of Women's Empowerment and Child Protection Bintang Puspayoga. (ANTARA/HO-Kemen PPPA)

JAKARTA - The Minister of Women's Empowerment and Child Protection (PPPA) Bintang Puspayoga said the TPKS Bill added types of evidence in disclosing sexual violence cases to provide justice to victims, where previously there were only five types of evidence according to the Criminal Procedure Code.

"This means that in the Criminal Procedure Code, if there are no other witnesses who have seen the case firsthand, the testimony of the victim's witness has no proof. This makes it difficult to prove cases of sexual violence," said Minister Bintang, quoted by Antara from a press release, Friday, April 1.

Article 184 of the Criminal Procedure Code only states that there are five types of evidence, namely witness statements, expert statements, letters, instructions and statements from the defendant.

He explained the additional evidence in the TPKS Bill, namely the victim's statement, a letter from a psychologist and/or psychiatrist, medical records, records of examinations in the investigation process, electronic information, documents and bank account checks.

Bintang added that in the Problem Inventory List (DIM) of the TPKS Bill, Article 23 states that the testimony of witnesses and/or victims is sufficient to prove the defendant is guilty if it is accompanied by one other valid evidence and the judge is convinced that a crime has actually occurred and the defendant is the one who guilty of doing so.

Therefore, his party urges that the TPKS Bill be ratified immediately so that there will be no more acquittals against perpetrators of sexual violence, such as in the case of the sexual abuse of a Riau University (UNRI) lecturer against his student, LM.

"The high rate of sexual violence is very important and it is urgent that the TPKS Bill can be ratified immediately, so that acquittals such as in the case of obscenity against UNRI students can be prevented. The victim's sense of justice must be the priority and the main thing," said the Minister of PPPA.