Reporting on Sexual Violence Cases is Still Prone to Injuring Victims

Reporting on cases of sexual violence is vulnerable to hurting victims. Sorting diction up to strict editorial selection is needed to prevent this from continuing to happen.

The following article was translated using both Microsoft Azure Open AI and Google Translation AI.

KOMPAS/ABDULLAH FIKRI ASHRI

Kuningan Resort Police Chief Adjunct Senior Commissioner Willy Andrian (second from right) shows evidence of an obscenity case at the Kuningan Police, Kuningan Regency, West Java, Friday (14/7/2023). The police arrested AW, who was strongly suspected of molesting his two stepchildren. Now, the accused faces a maximum of 20 years in prison.

The case of repeated sexual violence has resulted in increasingly widespread coverage in the media. Unfortunately, there are still some reports that violate journalistic ethics. Instead of helping the victim, such coverage only hurts them for a second time.

A dozen media crew members gathered at the Kuningan Police Headquarters in West Java on Friday (14/7/2023) to attend a press conference regarding the case of a stepfather sexually abusing two of his children. The police presented the suspect, who was wearing a mask and had handcuffs on.

"The suspect did this to his first stepson for five years, from 2012 to 2017. At that time, his son was 9 years old," said Head of Kuningan Police Adjunct Senior Commissioner Willy Andrian. The perpetrator also molested the victim's younger sister who was still in her teens for three years.

During the question and answer session, questions arose that made a number of journalists shake their heads. ”Ndan, (absolute), isn't it,more than four years. Could there be a consensual factor (between the victim and the perpetrator)?” asked a female journalist to the Chief of Police.

Suddenly, several journalists grumbled, indicating their objection to the question. Willy then explained that the suspect molested two children, he continued, using a coercive mode. In fact, the perpetrator had pushed and grabbed both the hands of the victim who was trying to resist.

Nine days prior to this, when the Cirebon City Police released a case of sexual assault, a journalist also asked about the possibility of the victim and perpetrator having mutual feelings. However, the suspect is a 26-year-old elementary school teacher and the victim is a student at the institution.

Also read: Abusing his two children, a stepfather in Kuningan is threatened with 20 years in prison

KOMPAS/ABDULLAH FIKRI ASHRI

The suspect of sexual abuse case with the initials TH (26) appeared in a press conference at the Police Headquarters in Cirebon City, West Java, on Wednesday (5/7/2023). The elementary school volunteer teacher is allegedly involved in the sexual abuse of his student.

The question indicates that not all media personnel understand the coverage of sexual violence cases from a gender perspective. This perspective, borrowing Nur Iman Subono's opinion, is a reporting that does not corner women and victims.

The notion of "consent" in that case even misunderstands sexual violence. The National Commission on Violence Against Women reveals that sexual violence stems from power imbalances between the perpetrator and the victim. For example, a teacher has more power than a student.

Komnas Perempuan also mentions 15 forms of sexual violence, ranging from rape, sexual harassment, sexual torture, to forced contraception/sterilization. From this we can draw the common thread that sexual violence is closely related to coercion (coercion).

Law Number 17 of 2016 concerning Child Protection also prohibits sexual violence against children. Violators are sentenced to 5-15 years in prison with a maximum fine of IDR 5 billion. The sentence is increased by one-third if the perpetrator is a parent, guardian, official, or educator.

In sexual violence, there is no consentor approval. Moreover, for children under the age of 18, they are not yet mature enough to make decisions. Article 288 of the Criminal Code prohibits sexual intercourse with a woman who is not yet married.

That is why, evaluating cases of sexual violence as a "mutual agreement" event is not in accordance with regulations. In the context of journalism, such subjective views create negative stereotypes and judge the victim. In their 2015 research, Komnas Perempuan recorded this.

KOMPAS/BAHANA PATRIA GUPTA

Participant Dipta Wahyu participated in a question and answer session with examiners during the Indonesian Photojournalist Competency Test at the Regantris Hotel in Surabaya, East Java, on Wednesday (3/8/2022). The competency test, which was independently conducted by the Indonesian Photojournalist Association for the first time, lasted for two days. Participants were tested on 11 topics, including journalistic ethics, editorial planning meetings, and proposing news photo coverage. The competency test was conducted for young photojournalists.

The report entitled Media Analysis: "To what extent the Media Has a Perspective of Victims of Sexual Violence" analyzes sexual violence news published in nine print and online media, such as Kompas, Republika, Indo Pos, Media Indonesia , and Tempo.co.

As a result, the coverage of rape reached 45 percent, followed by harassment (34 percent), trafficking of women for sexual purposes (10 percent), and so on. The most frequent violation in reporting was mixing opinion and facts, which accounted for 38 percent.

In addition, research also shows that 31 percent of news still reveals the identity of the victims. This is not in accordance with Article 5 of the Journalistic Code of Ethics (KEJ). Article 4 of KEJ also stipulates that journalists should not display photos or writings that provoke sexual desire.

The latest research report by the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences of Tidar University and the Press Council in 2022 also noted important findings. The research team, consisting of Triantono, Muhammad Marizal, Fitria Khairun, and Wahyu Eka Putri, checked the news coverage in 10 media outlets.

The cyber media include Okezone.com, Detik.com, Kompas.com, Tribunnews.com, Kumparan.com, Merdeka.com, and Pikiran-rakyat.com. From the study, it is found that the media still disclose the identity of victims. In fact, there is one media that does this in 65 percent of their reporting.

Identity here refers to all information and data related to a person so that others can easily track them. Not only KEJ, Law No. 11/2012 regarding Juvenile Justice also prohibits the disclosure of a child's identity. Violators are subject to a maximum prison sentence of 5 years.

Also read: Allegedly molested elementary school student, teacher in Cirebon is threatened with 15 years in prison

TOTO S

Illustration

The research also found that reporting on sexual violence was not gender responsive. For example, the use of discriminatory diction, such as "take turns" which describes the victim as helpless and equates it with a trophy. Supposedly, rape in turn.

Similarly, with the diction "staining" or "molesting" which reduces the meaning of rape and lacks empathy towards the victim. This study found three media outlets that were indicated to include discriminatory diction with a proportion of 31-48 percent in their reporting.

There are also dictions that invite stereotyping, such as "young mother", "sexy", and "red kebaya". A number of reports still often blame victims or victim blaming, such as victims who wear sexy clothes, have curvaceous bodies, and walk at night.

The research team found five media that cornered victims with a portion of 41 percent to 58 percent in their reporting. One of the media even stereotyping up to 60 percent of its coverage. The data shows that not all media are gender responsive.

In addition to the editorial's misunderstanding of gender-responsive reporting, this research also mentions the tendency of the media to use controversial news or clickbait. The goal is to get as many audiences as possible. Moreover, the number of clicks brings money.

Therefore, the research suggests that the editorial team carry out strict selection, including diction, in reporting on sexual violence. Journalist organizations also need to continue providing journalistic training that focuses on victim protection and gender responsiveness.

Make sure that the coverage and reporting of sexual violence by the media does not only fail to protect the victims, but hurt them even more.

Also read: Contact Mode via Social Media, A Man Rape Children in Cirebon