Explain Cases Of Sexual Violence Involving KemenkopUKM Employees, Minister Teten Forms Independent Team

JAKARTA - Minister of Cooperatives and SMEs Teten Masduki formed an independent team to investigate cases of sexual harassment involving four employees as perpetrators and one woman as victim. The five are colleagues at the Ministry of Cooperatives and SMEs (KemenkopUKM).

This was conveyed by Teten during a press conference after meeting with the victim's family, assistants including the Indonesian Women's Association for Justice Legal Aid Institute (LBH APIK) at the Kemenkop office, Jakarta, Tuesday, October 25.

"The victim's family reopened the sexual harassment case by reporting back the case to LBH APIK and the Ombudsman. For this reason, KemenkopUKM moved quickly to form an Independent Team as an effort to resolve cases of sexual violence within the Kemenkop-UKM environment," he said in a written statement, quoted from Antara.

In 2019, sexual violence occurred in the KemenkopUKM environment and then followed up in coordination with law enforcement officials. Police are said to have arrested four suspects who sexually assaulted them.

The case was stopped when investigators issued a Warning Letter (SP) 3 after the victim's family and the alleged perpetrators agreed to settle amicably by marrying one of the perpetrators to the victim.

The KemenkopUKM party is said to have given sanctions of dismissal to two honorary employees and severe sanctions in the form of demotion to a lower level for one year from class 7 to class position 3 to two Civil Servants (PNS).

When the case is reopened, continued Teten, KemenkopUKM accommodates the interests of victims by forming an Independent Team with two main tasks, namely finding facts and providing recommendations for resolving cases of sexual violence for a maximum of one month.

"Another task is to formulate an internal Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for handling sexual crimes from the Kemenkop-UKM for a period of three months," said Teten.

The Independent Team consisted of Kemenkop elements represented by the Special Staff of the Coordinating Minister for People's Economy Riza Damanik, the Ministry of Women's Empowerment and Child Protection (PPPA), Women Activists Sri Nurherwati, Ririn Sefsani, and Ratna Bataramunti.

Teten stated that the audience with the women activists was a very productive meeting to find solutions for handling cases of sexual violence.

"Ministry of Cooperatives does not tolerate the practice of sexual violence. If at this time it is considered that it still does not meet the principles of justice, we will immediately follow up," he said.

Teten is committed to implementing standard standards for handling cases related to sexual violence and seeking to establish a better treatment system, especially for victims, ranging from physical and mental assistance to counseling.

“This case is also a momentum for us to prepare SOPs for preventing and handling sexual violence. I have met the victim's family and we will accommodate the demands of the victim's family," said Teten.

It is confirmed that his party is ready to provide the necessary supporting data and coordinate with an independent team, so that the protection of the victim's family at the ministry is guaranteed and there is no intimidation of any kind.