Digital Trap of Sexual and Economic Exploitation

KOMPAS/SONYA HELLEN SINOMBOR

The group that rejects the Bill on the Elimination of Sexual Violence also staged an action in front of the gates of the Senayan Parliament Complex, Jakarta, Tuesday (17/9/2019).

In October 2019, ROS (42), a resident of North Jakarta, unintentionally got acquainted with TOP, a man, through Facebook. Initially, they were just ordinary friends, but TOP then asked for her phone number that was connected to WhatsApp. The two then developed a closer relationship. They started dating.

In short, ROS, a single parent of three children, became close to TOP. "He called me bunda [mom]. He gave me more attention. He always asked whether I had eaten or not, then asked about [my] children and other concerns,” said ROS, Saturday (12/12/2020).

From the start, TOP, who claimed to be a police officer and worked in Bali, expressed his interest in ROS and wanted to have a serious relationship. TOP, who also claimed to have a daughter, promised to go to Jakarta to meet ROS.

Also read: Waiting for Protection, Not Stigma

"He said he wanted to propose [to me], get married and take me to Bali," said ROS, who did not realize that she was being trapped.

ROS was not bothered by the fact that she had never seen TOP’s face in video calls. She had only seen TOP through photos sent via WhatsApp (WA). When asked why he did not show his face, he reasoned that his phone camera was damaged.

KOMPAS/ YUNIADHI AGUNG

Residents light candles while participating in a solidarity night for victims of sexual crimes at Tugu Proklamasi, Jakarta, Friday (13/5/2016).

Until one day, ROS who was getting ready to take a shower was forced by TOP to make a video call. ROS had refused and revealed that she only wore a sarong. However, TOP coerced his “lover” to switch on the video call and showed her uncovered body parts.

A few weeks later, TOP called ROS, saying he had an accident and asked her to send him Rp 700,000. However, ROS was not able to transfer the money because she was jobless. Because TOP did not get the money, he contacted ROS and began to terrorize her.

"Do you want to watch your video or not. I asked what video? He said it was a surprise for Bunda,” said ROS who did not think that the video in question was a video of her naked body filmed by TOP when she was going to take a shower.

Also read: Against Child Predators

Later, ROS was also shocked because her Facebook account was taken over by TOP. Later, ROS was contacted by her friends, telling her that her Facebook account showed videos and photos of her without clothes, as well as inappropriate language. Her Facebook status was written by ROS, which made her friends suspicious. Even ROS\'s children and family learned of this incident.

ROS was devastated and embarrassed. Her oldest child, who was already married, tried to convince her that she was a victim. "I had mixed feelings," said ROS, who with the support of her friends then reported [the incident] to the Legal Aid Institute for the Indonesian Women\'s Association for Justice (LBH APIK) Jakarta, in early December 2019.

Kompas/Raditya Helabumi

Dozens of pairs of shoes were placed in front of the gates of the DPR Building, Senayan, Jakarta, during the 500 First Steps to Pass the Bill on the Elimination of Sexual Violence (PKS), Wednesday (25/11/2020).

In mid-December 2019, together with Said Niam, a public lawyer for LBH APIK, ROS reported the case to the Jakarta Police. However, the legal process was not smooth. An investigation report was only made in March 2020 after the case was transferred to the North Jakarta Police. When the legal process will begin, the Covid-19 pandemic occurs. "Now it stagnates because of witness testimony," said Said.

Social media accounts hijacked

A similar incident was experienced by Amanda (22), not her real name, a psychology student at a university in Jakarta. It took almost two years for her to (regain confidence and) return to the cyberspace after she was traumatized because her social media account was hijacked. The hijacker then spread inappropriate content to many people.

Inevitably, Amanda stayed away from her social environment because after that many strange messages entered her social media account and cellphone number. One of them was a photo of bra on her social media account. "I didn\'t know whose bra it is. I ignored it because at that time some friends also got messages like that," said Amanda, on Sunday (13/12/2020).

Also read: Family Resilience Bill is Antifamily

Ignoring the terror only made the sender even crazier. They increasingly sent inappropriate photos. They manipulated the faces of their victims, including Amanda, and combined it with nude photos scattered on the internet. Later, Amanda and her friends found out that the impostors were (her) friends on Instagram before taking photos to be manipulated.

Due to the manipulation of content by the impostors, almost every day for almost two years there were (social media) accounts that posted her photos and videos on Line and Instagram. Not to mention the numerous fake accounts in her name and often they were being used to access adult sites.

KOMPAS/WAWAN H PRABOWO

Human rights activists visited the Presidential Palace Complex, Jakarta, to submit a letter of support for a former contract teacher at SMAN 7 Mataram, West Nusa Tenggara, who was convicted of violating the Law on Electronic Information and Transactions, Baiq Nuril, Monday (15/7/2019) .

The ROS and Amanda cases are examples of online gender-based violence. Activists from civil society organizations refer to it as online gender-based violence (KBGO). From a number of victims who reported incidents to LBH APIK, it was revealed that the modes of the perpetrators were different. However, the goal remains sexual and economic exploitation.

Said gave an example with the case of a female sex worker victim. The method was that the perpetrator contacted the victim, paid the victim several rupiahs, then asked the victim to do sexual activity online. The perpetrator recorded the video, then contacted the victim back, blackmailed her and asked the victim to do sexual activity online without being paid and forced her to send money.

My case opened the eyes of many people because many people did not know about sexual harassment and violence.

If she refused, the perpetrator threatened to circulate the (sex) videos of the victim. A number of victims chose to remain silent and they became multi-layered victims, because they were afraid and ashamed to report them.

Also read: Memory about the Body

Baiq Nuril Maknun (41), a former non-permanent employee at state high school SMA Negeri 7 Mataram, in West Nusa Tenggara, experienced similar violence. Baiq Nuril was a victim of sexual harassment allegedly committed by the principal of the school where she worked. Her boss had indecent conversations (through phone call) that Baiq recorded. However, Nuril was later reported to the police. In court, she was charged with violating Law No. 19/2016 concerning Electronic Information and Transactions (ITE) for allegedly circulating pornographic content. After struggling for nearly four years and five months, in early August 2018, Baiq Nuril received an amnesty (exemption from punishment) from President Joko Widodo.

"My case was a lesson for myself and everyone. My case opened the eyes of many people because many people did not know about sexual harassment and violence,” said Baiq, on Sunday (13/12).