Aisha Weddings Is Being Accused Of Promoting Pedophilia

Illustration (Photo: Unsplash)

JAKARTA - The founder of the Legal Aid Institution (LBH) of the Indonesian Women's Association for Justice (APIK), Nursyahbani Katjasunga, considered the emergence of Aisha Weddings as an effort to promote pedophilia.

Pedophilia is a disorder that makes children as one's sexual objects. In this case, Aisha Weddings, through the website and pamphlets distributed promoting the holding of child marriages at the age of 12 to 21 years.

"Actually, Aisha Weddings promotes pedophilia because they are promoting sexual relations with children, even in the context of marriage", said Nursyahbani in a virtual discussion, Thursday, February 11.

Nursyahbani considers the government must make the public aware that the promotion of child marriage violates Article 8 of Law Number 35 of 2014 concerning Child Protection.

Aisha Weddings also violated Law Number 16 of 2019 concerning Amendments to Law 1 Number 1974 concerning Marriage, which provides a minimum age limit for marriage of 19 years old.

Unfortunately, there are still many people who marry off their children because there is a dispensation from the Office of Religious Affairs (KUA). They "fortify" themselves behind the Supreme Court Regulation regarding the dispensation of marriage.

"Why is there still dispensation and why is the government giving the opportunity for dispensation without affirmative action? If this is a matter of religious teachings, about poverty and ignorance, it is necessary to intervene with affirmations of action, not only laws", he said.

Aisha Weddings became a mass conversation on Twitter. The wedding organizer (WO) was criticized for offering child marriage packages.

In an advertisement on the official website, Aisha Weddings offers wedding packages for brides in the age range 12-21 years. "All Muslim women want to be devout and obedient to Allah SWT and their husband. To be pleasing to Allah and their husband, they must be married at the age of 12-21 years and not more than that", reads the Aisha Weddings ad.