UNS — The Student Executive Board Faculty of Law (BEM FH) Universitas Sebelas Maret (UNS), Deputy for Development of Women’s Issues, hosted a talk show entitled ‘Catcalling: A Serious Challenge for Women But Still Considered as Joke.’ The Virtual Talkshow was held through the Zoom Cloud Meetings on Saturday (1/5/2021), specifically to celebrate Kartini Day. The talk show invites two speakers, namely, Siti Aminah Tardi, as the Commissioner in the National Commission for the Protection of Women (Komnas Perempuan), and Lisa Elfena, as the Founder of the ‘Dearsalirang,’ who actually is an alumnus of UNS Surakarta. In total, there are 100 participants attending the event, which was led by Yosephine Adinda Dwika Sandra.
In her presentation, Siti Aminah states that Catcalling is a form of violence toward women. According to General Recommendation No. 19, which is updated with General Recommendation No. 35 of the CEDAW Committee, sexual violence toward women is violence directed at women because they are women or violence that affects women disproportionately. These forms of sexual violence include acts that cause physical, mental, and sexual harm, or suffering, threats, and other forms of deprivation of liberty.
Based on the data released by the Komnas Perempuan, a total of 79% of sexual violence cases occurs in family or household settings and in intimate relationships such as dating. Meanwhile, Catcalling is non-physical sexual violence that occurs in the community setting. Catcalling often known as street harassment because it is usually happening in public spaces or streets and is done by strangers. Most men consider catcalling as a joke, while it is a form of a disrespectful act done by a male to female.
“The result of 2008 survey shows that 3 out of 5 women and 1 out of 10 men have experienced sexual harassment in public spaces such as on roads and public transportation,” Siti Aminah states. She further adds that catcalling happens because men tend to view women as an object. Catcalling can be done under the guise of praise, advice, or to the presumption that someone is irritable. Even though the number of sexual violence in Indonesia declined in 2020, but the number of complaints submitted to the Komnas Perempuan increased.
What Should We Do As A Victim of Catcalling?
On this special occasion of Kartini Day, Siti Aminah shares some tips for the victims of Catcalling, among others are avoiding or resist. However, when the victims decided to resist, they must consider the condition and situation wisely. If it is impossible to resist or fight the perpetrator, it is better to avoid it. Secondly, stop and stare at the perpetrator bravely. Often, the catcalling perpetrator considers women as a weak and helpless group. Therefore, by showing our bravery, men will not feel superior.
The third tip is to always confident. This is important because our gestures can reduce sexual violence acts. Fourth is to always dare to report and ask for help. Don’t hesitate to report a sexual harassment case like an iceberg that is only partially visible, which means there are many other unreported cases.
“A suggestion that I always share with my colleagues is to bring a whistle to sign that your position is not safe,” Siti Aminah concluded. Humas UNS
Reporter: Alinda Hardiantoro
Editor: Dwi Hastuti