My Point of View on Sexual Violence “What If I Were the Victims” Brigitta Hemadhanita Rares Ho
Background Sexual violence is a traumatizing, and a life-time recovery process in most cases for women. Despite feminist campaigns and actions in many countries wich have, to a greater or lesser extent, made sexual violance a public issue, the prevalence and impact of sexual violence in women’s lives is still not publicly acknowledge.1 The Ministry of Women's and Children's Empowerment recorded as many as 8,800 cases of sexual violence that occurred from January to November 2021. According to WHO, any sexual act, attempt to abtain a sexual act, unwanted sexual comments or advances, or acts to traffic, or otherwise directed against a person’s sexuality, using coercion, by any person, regardless of their relationship to the victim, in any setting, including, but not limited to home and work, is sexual harrasment.2 However, not many victims are willing to open up to the public and tell what happened, the victim becomes embarrassed when she finds out that she is a victim of sexual violence. Many victims prefer to isolate themselves and suffer from the situation.
Analysis
Sexual violence can occur anywhere, even in public spaces that are considered safe. As a victim, there will be many things running through my mind. Feelings of annoyance, shame, humiliation, disgust all mixed into one. Not to mention bearing a bitter and painful burden. It was like a crumpled cassette that kept playing over and over in my head from time to time. The process of selfacceptance after the incident of sexual violence is very difficult. Starting from
1
Kelly, Liz. Surviving sexual violence. (John Wiley & Sons, 2013.), hlm. 5. World Health Organization, Responding to intimate partner violence and sexual violence against women: WHO clinical and policy guidelines (World Health Organization, 2013), hlm. viii 2