Zico Nurrashid Priharseno, Jakarta – To this day many women workers become victims of sexual crimes. In Jakarta, there are around 80 thousand workers and as many as 90 percent of these are women. Seventy-five of women workers in Jakarta have experienced sexual violence.

Based on data released by the National Commission on Violence Against Women (Komnas Perempuan) for 2012, there were 216,156 cases of sexual violence, among which 2,521 were experienced by women workers. This figure is based on women workers who have reported the incidents.

According to Factory Level Labour Community (KBTP) coordinator Jumingsih, cases of sexual harassment experienced by women workers often occur in the factory. The perpetrators can be anyone, from their superiors to fellow male workers.

“Commonly workers are raped under the threat that their contracts will not be extended. This has been happening at factories in North Jakarta”, she said at the offices of the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) in Central Jakarta on Friday April 19.

Moreover, according to Jumingsih, women workers often become targets of sexual harassment outside the factory. This usually occurs when women are returning home at night after working overtime. “When we return home after 10pm there is no safe [public] transport available so it’s when [we] return home that rapes occur”, she said.

Jumingsih said that victims should report all cases of harassment to the authorities, however there are still many cases that are not resolved by the police.

According to Jumingsih this is because of weak law enforcement in Indonesia when it comes to cases of sexual harassment, particularly if the victim is a women worker. “Here, we can see that there is discrimination against women workers”, said Jumingsih.

[75 Persen Buruh Wanita di Jakarta Alami Kekerasan Seksual – Kompas.com. Jumat, 19 April 2013. Translated by James Balowski.]