Indonesia’s parliament enacted a long-awaited Bill to combat sexual violence on Tuesday (Apr 12), aiming at giving victims a legal framework for justice in a country where sexual abuse is generally seen as a private problem.
After six years of discussion, a majority of parliamentarians supported the Bill during a plenary session in parliament, overcoming resistance from some conservative factions in the world’s largest Muslim majority country.
The Bill has been largely supported by campaigners, however, some have complained about its restricted reach, with just some sex offences covered and the government’s exclusion of an explicit rape clause. Women are mostly the victims.
