How sexual assault survivors find a safe space?
Written by Maria Ermilinda Hayon and Tentry Yudvi | Read in Indonesian
All women rejoiced when the House of Representatives passed the Sexual Violence Crime (TPKS) Bill on 12 April. After 10 years, Indonesia finally have a law that is fair to victims of sexual violence.
Sexual violence issues have become an ingrained topic since the colonial era. Patriarchal culture that places women as sexual objects and deemed powerless and whose abilities are often underestimated makes many women fall victim to sexual violence.
The number of victims of sexual violence is increasing every year. This is also in line with data released by the Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection Ministry (PPPA Ministry) some time ago.
The number of cases of sexual violence against women increased from at least 8,864 cases in 2019 to 10,368 cases in 2021.
Not only women, many children also became victims of sexual predators. The PPPA Ministry noted that at least the number of child victims of sexual violence increased 25.07% from 6,454 in 2019 to 8,730 in 2021.
The TPKS Law can prosecute perpetrators, but does not necessarily guarantee a safe space for victims of sexual violence. That is because basic knowledge of sexual violence handling among the community is not well informed.
Oftentimes, the victims do not get a safe space. They are instead being ridiculed, cornered, or bullied for the incident that happened to them.
Therefore, it is time for all of us to be responsible; providing a safe space for survivors of sexual violence. It is also time for victims of sexual violence to seek appropriate support so that their case is resolved properly.
How? Below is a summary of treatment for victims of sexual violence that can assist survivors in finding and providing the right safe space.
Treatment for victims of sexual violence
No one expects to be a victim of sexual violence. Experiencing it is a disaster that can cause psychological trauma. Not only physical injuries, sexual violence is also very likely to cause psychological wounds.
Unfortunately, sexual violence can be likened to the iceberg phenomenon. The huge number of news about sexual violence that we hear through the mass media or social media is not all. Generally, sexual violence is often experienced by women and children.
Sexual violence struck victims without warning. As a result, many victims felt as if they were frozen during sexual assault and couldn’t fight back.
Of course we can't blame the victim if he or she can't do anything, not even cry. Who is ready for such an incident?
1. Secure evidence
It is not easy to think and act ideally when experiencing a traumatic event. However, when we become a victim, once we can start to process the incident a little, the first thing to do is to secure evidence.
Komnas Perempuan Commissioner Siti Aminah Tardi (Ami) said the evidence could be clothes or accessories that were on the body during the assault, then put them in a plastic bag.
“If you experience sexual violence such as rape, try not to bathe or wash your genitals, because sperm, saliva, hair, nail, or skin tissue that is left behind can be photographed. Even if they haven't decided to report it, the victim can first ask for a forensic examination and a medical record will be made," said Ami.
If the sexual violence was in other forms, such as cyber violence, protect the evidence by saving screenshots, copying URLs and making a report to the application community where the violence occurred, as well as stopping communication with the perpetrators.
2. Look for support from the closest people
In the context of psychology, the victim must really "have the energy" to have the courage to tell their story. This can be supported by an understanding that it was not the fault of the victim.
“By realising it first and making it internalised, the victim will have the courage; that it is not their fault, but the perpetrator's. So the victim becomes stronger, "said Ami.
Victims can seek support from their closest people and those they feel comfortable talking to, such as parents or close friends. At least the victims have friends and protection that give them strength.
3. Must find a support institution
There are many institutions where victims can seek aid from.
There are the Complaints Unit for Referrals (UPR) of Komnas Perempuan, regional Legal Aid Institute (LBH) offices, as well as the Integrated Service Centre for the Empowerment of Women and Children (P2TP2A).
Unfortunately, some victims did not know that there was a support agency in their area. In that case, they could file a complaint with Komnas Perempuan.
"In accordance with the mandate of Komnas Perempuan, we receive complaints, then we will help the victim find a referral agency that suits their needs and is also close to their domicile," said UPR staff Dara.
The UPR receives complaints digitally by downloading the complaint form on the komnasperempuan.go.id page, via telephone at 021-3903963, email to complaints@komnasperempuan.go.id, social media, or coming directly to the Komnas Perempuan office. .
"After a complaint is received, we will contact the victim and ask the chronology of the incident and the victim's needs. And of course we will ask for detailed personal information data from the victim to then provide a referral. We usually refer victims if they need legal assistance, mediation, psychological counselling, safe houses, or digital security consultations,” Dara added.
Complaints about sexual violence to Komnas Perempuan are free of charge. However, when the case is referred to Komnas Perempuan’s partner institution, there will be a fee imposed by each institution. How about forensic examination fees?
"In the context of forensic examination, the financing pattern is still partial. Some go to the police, some to the hospital, some can be accessed by the KPPA through the Special Allocation Fund (DAK) with the P2TP2A. However, several regions allocate reimbursement for forensic examination. Those regions include Jakarta, as all public health centres in the city are able to provide assistance," Ami explained.
If there are obstacles after the referral process, there will be monitoring and follow-up from Komnas Perempuan in the form of providing a letter of recommendation, expert assistance, providing written information to the criminal justice system, or holding a cross-institutional coordination meeting if the case is very complex.
“The monitoring varies depending on the obstacle. Sometimes one case can take 2 to 3 years of continuous monitoring if it is a complex case. If the victim in the first referral is uncomfortable or feels unaided, they can return to Komnas Perempuan and we will find another referral agency,” Ami added.
4. Recovery of victims of sexual violence
After going through a traumatic event, the goal of asking for help through a service institution is certainly to get justice and recover. To recover, victims need to seek professional help from a psychologist, psychiatrist, or counsellor.
The length of the recovery process can vary for each victim. According to Director of the Pulih Foundation Yosephine Dian Indraswari, the recovery process depends on the understanding of one victim and another of the sexual violence they experienced.
Despite the common crime, each victim has different vulnerability, so their resilience is also different. Thus, it is impossible to determine how long it will take for victims of sexual violence to recover.
“So it depends on the condition of the survivors. However, I observed that if the survivor has support from the beginning, the damage isn't as bad as if they hit a wall while seeking help. We can see in the case of Novia Widyasari who finally took her life because she hit a dead end despite her efforts to find help. From my experience when accompanying victims of sexual violence, when they received support from their closest people, it was possible for them to become resilient more quickly,” said Dian.
However, recovery doesn’t mean that their condition will fully return to normal. Every wound leaves a mark, including psychological wounds.
The victims can also relapse if they were triggered by things that remind them of their traumatic experience. If this happens, the victim can get another professional treatment from a psychologist, psychiatrist, or counsellor.
The steps to recovery also differ for each victim. Dian said there are several counselling approaches or techniques taught in psychology and will be used differently depending on the case and the psychologist.
But, again, what needs to be underlined is the importance of seeking support from the closest people so that the impact of sexual violence can be minimised. That way, victims can recover faster.
If we are the closest person to a victim of sexual violence, how can we give support to them?
Providing a safe space for victims
Again and again, recovery of victims of sexual violence is not only the task of the government, institutions, or psychologists. As a family member, friend, co-worker, or partner, we also need to provide a safe space for them.
The existence of a support system will help strengthen the victim's psychological condition and make them feel safe to talk to us. The thing is, providing a safe space is not an easy job for those of us who are not professionals.
However, this can be done. According to Dian, the first step to providing a safe space is trust. First of all, we need to trust the victim despite whatever doubt we have.
It's important to put trust in the victim first, without being judgmental. That way, we can also support them to make a report. “Victims need to feel that they are trusted. Because the victims are often blamed. We are also often curious about the incident, but it's better to keep it to ourselves first. Let the victim speak. It is necessary to back what they said," she said.
Not only that, we also need to pay attention to the words that we say to the victim. Avoid words that put down and blame the victim. This is because sexual violence is not the fault of the victim, but the perpetrator.
The sentences that are better avoided are:
That is because your clothes are too sexy…
Did it really happen?
It’s just your feeling that they’re like that…
Forget it, it already happened, let it go…
This is God’s test, so you have to endure…
Grin and bear it…
Maybe this is karma…
Why did you go there alone and not take me…
Those sentences are often told to victims of sexual violence. This is what makes the victim's psychological condition even worse. According to Dian, victims of sexual violence have automatically subconsciously blamed themselves for what happened to them. There is no need for the people around them to blame them.
“So, it is important to believe and listen to the stories of these victims. They must feel guilty and blame themselves. If they continue to be cornered, it will be hard for them. Instead of throwing judgement like that, it is better to say ‘I understand, this must not be easy for you,’" Dian explained.
We also need to express support for them. For example, by saying, “Yes, I support you to get through this. I trust you completely.” A simple sentence is enough to make the victim feel supported and trusted.
What would happen if we could not provide a safe space?
Of course, this will have a negative impact on the victim's psychological condition. Dian said they could have suffered from severe depression, which makes them wish to end their life. This was what happened to Novia Widyasari, who was found to have committed suicide near her father's grave in Mojekerto, Central Java in December 2021.
“There are also those who are banging their heads after their incident. They said, ‘I know it’s my fault for not fighting when being treated that way’. It's very traumatic. Not to mention, the victim can interpret what happened to them indirectly. There must be a sense of remorse, a sense of self-disgust,” she explained.
If the victim doesn't get support, they are likely to hurt themselves. There are also victims who vent to others and lead to aggressive behaviour. However, each of these conditions, of course, depends on the experience of the victim. Again, it can't be generalised. It depends on the situation and condition of the survivors of sexual violence," said Dian.
Therefore, it is very important for us to provide a safe space for victims of sexual violence. It is so difficult for them to fight to regain the independence of their bodies.