BY NURDIN HASAN (THE JAKARTA GLOBE)
Banda Aceh. Women’s rights activists in Aceh have urged the chief
of police in Simeulue district to show more seriousness in addressing a case in
which three policemen allegedly drugged and raped a 19-year-old woman.
Khairani Arifin, chairwoman of the women’s rights
group Balai Syura Ureung Inong Aceh, said on Thursday that Simeulue Police
Chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Parluatan Siregar’s repeated denials that the incident on
Jan. 17 constituted rape showed that he was trying to cover for his
subordinates.
“The investigators and public prosecutors should have
been more scrupulous in finding the elements of force in the rape case,
especially since the victim was previously forced to take methamphetamine,”
Khairani said.
“As a law enforcer, the district police chief should
have issued a statement based on legal facts. In his capacity as the Simeulue
police chief, he should have taken more responsibility in guiding his
subordinates and not done the opposite, which is defending them for their
wrongdoing.”
In a previous interview with the Globe on Tuesday,
Parluatan denied the claim by the victim’s family that one of the officers had
raped her.
“After an investigation, the three officers admitted
to violating this girl and paying her Rp 200,000 [$21] for the enjoyment,” he
said.
“So it wasn’t a rape. If she claims she was really
raped by the officer, why didn’t she get a medical checkup done when she was in
the hospital?”
He confirmed that the three officers had been placed
in custody, not for the alleged sexual violence but for using meth.
“Rape involves violence and threats, but there was
none of that in this case. There were no bruises on her body and no injuries to
her genitals.”
However, Khairani said that based on information that
she obtained, the police had only requested a medical examination of the victim
on Tuesday, five days after the alleged rape.
“The examination itself was conducted on Wednesday. So
how could the district police chief make a conclusion that no signs of rape
were found when doctors had not even conducted the examination?
“The Simeulue police chief doesn’t seem to understand
the victim’s helpless position when the rape occurred, especially since she was
under the influence of meth,” Khairani added.
She said all rape cases must be examined by the
police, even if the victim did not file a report, because rapists often claim
that the sex was consensual.
“This frees the perpetrators from all charges, while
instances of rape continue and the victims don’t get any justice,” she said.
Khairani said that volunteers from Balai Syura Ureung Inong
Aceh had met with the victim’s family on Thursday to offer assistance and
advocacy throughout the legal process.[]
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Activists Blast Police in Aceh For Rape Case Stance
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January 25, 2013
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