Sexual Violence At Ponpes East Lombok, KemenPPPA Asks Other Victims To Report

Illustration of ferocity in women (ANTARA)

JAKARTA - Regarding sexual violence at Islamic Boarding Schools (Ponpes) in East Lombok, NTB, the Ministry of Women's Empowerment and Child Protection (KemenPPPA) asked other students not to be afraid and want to report.

KemenPPPA will also continue to monitor efforts to handle, protect, and recover victims of sexual violence cases committed by suspects LMI (43) and HSN (50) who are the leaders of Ponpes.

"We will continue to monitor efforts to handle, protect, and recover victims of sexual violence (TPKS) which are being carried out by the PPPA Social Service Agency together with the UPTD PPA of NTB Province and East Lombok Regency, LBH Apik, as well as the victim's companion institution," said Deputy for Child Special Protection at the Ministry of PPPA, Nahar, quoted by ANTARA, Thursday, May 25.

Nahar hopes that the police can continue to explore and develop this case, including opening a joint complaint service to anticipate the possibility of other victims who have not dared to report for various reasons.

LMI and HSN are suspected of sexually assaulting 41 students in the span of time until 2023 and three of the victims made police reports.

Currently, LMI and HSN have been named suspects and detained by the East Lombok Police.

The maximum sentence waiting for the suspect can be in the form of death penalty, life imprisonment, and or can be subject to additional punishment in the form of announcement of the identity of the perpetrator, as well as given castration, and installation of electronic detection devices.

KemenPPPA hopes that law enforcement in this case will also use Law Number 12 of 2012 concerning the Crime of Sexual Violence where victims' rights to handling, protection, and recovery can also be granted, including the right to obtain restitution as victims of sexual violence.