Brilio.net/en - Indonesia is no stranger to relatively strict punishments for crimes. Think of last years execution by firing squad that caused international outcries as foreign citizens were executed for drug trafficking charges. And this new law is no less aggressive.
Child sex abuse is now punishable by chemical castration or death. Not quite sure which one is preferable but you get the idea.
This ruling comes after national outcries after the battered body of a 14-year old girl was found naked and tied up in jungle of Sumatra. She died a brutal death after she was gang raped in April. The seven offenders have been jailed for 10 years, many of whom were under 18. But with the new rule instituted, the law will now allow the maximum punishment to be up to 20 years in prison.
"Sexual violence against children, as I have said, is an extraordinary crime," President Joko Widodo told journalists "We hope that this law will be a deterrent for offenders and can suppress sexual crimes against children," Widodo said, also tweeting the news on his official account.
Chemical castration is as bad as it sounds. Its the use of drugs to reduce libido or sexual activity. It is a legal form of punishment in several other countries, including: South Korea, Poland and the Czech Republic, as well as in some U.S. and Australian states. In the Czech Republic they still practice physical castration, which involved removing the testacles on men.
Pedophiles could also be forced to wear ankle monitors in order to track their whereabouts. The law is effective immediately, although Indonesia's parliament has the power to overturn it or demand revisions."These acts threaten and endanger children, and they destroy the lives and development of children for the future," the president's statement said.
Hari ini Perppu perlindungan anak ditandatangani. Penanganan kejahatan seksual pd anak harus dg cara luar biasa -Jkw pic.twitter.com/MlZaNsWIBU
Joko Widodo (@jokowi) May 25, 2016
This is a necessary move as Indonesia has been in hot waters lately with an increased amount of reports citing sexual abuse of children, such as the 6-year old boy getting raped by janitors at the Jakarta International School or the man who strangled the 9-year old girl last month. Indonesia is no stranger to child sex abuse issues, and in 2008 it was estimated that nearly 14,000 children were victims of sexual abuse across 40 villages in the country. Hopefully, with the new law in place, it will deter offenders from committing these heinous crimes against the innocent youth.
(brl/red)
