DPR Agrees to Intensify Punishment for Child Molester

Jakarta, InfoPublik- Members of The House of Representatives (DPR) agree to intensify the punishment for child molester. Law enforcers must be consistent in sentencing the case with the maximum penalty.

"Moreover, the government has issued Government Regulation in Lieu of Law (Perppu) which intensifies the punishment for child molesters, presenting additional punishment of chemical castration,” said a member of Commission III Arsul Sani in Jakarta, Sunday (7/24).

Such punishment is only on paper , the implementation of the punishment  depends on the law enforcers, starting from the police, prosecutor, and judge processing the case. The law enforcement must be consistent to create a deterrent effect.

He explained that not every sex offender should be given extra punishment of chemical castration and installation of electronic tracking device. Those would be imposed if the perpetrator had commited the same crime repeatedly.

"In parenting, the community in which the children lives shall participate in taking care of the children, family alone is not enough," explained Arsul.

He added that death penalty and chemical castration for the perpetrators are considered new for Indonesian law. "We do not know the effectiveness of the deterrent effect of the application of the law. The severe punishment does not guarantee the reduction of sexual violence, but we can learn from countries where chemical castration penalty is imposed such as in the United States and Germany where sexual violence can be reduced," he explained. (Translator: Erik Limantara)