Stories

Supporting Women with Disability who Experienced Sexual Violence

Ratna Dewi Setyaningsih (38), or Ratna, is one of the companion of disabilities organisation groups. Ratna dedicated her time at the Center for Impoving Qualified Activity in Live of People with Disabilities (CIQAL) to fight for the rights of women with disabilities which increasingly marginalised. Currently, she served as Chairman of the Association of Women with Disabilities Indonesia (HWDI), Yogyakarta branch.

According to Ratna, even though she and other companions would assist the survivors with appropriate standards, many challenges remain. One of them is the difficulty in providing an understanding to educate families that have family members with disabilities to not feel shame. Many families of disabilities regard them as a disgrace. And their situation is worsen, they already disabled, and become victims of sexual violence as well. In the end, many cases of the family let them go and do not care anymore.

However, with the incoming of MAMPU program, there is an increasing in companion improvement through community. With the increasing number of complaint centers, it makes people more free to share their stories, due to nearby communities in the center is more familiar. The companion in that community will follow up on the problems of the victims to the top-level organisation if necessary.

“We did not encounter challenges on getting counseling facilities, medical and legal protection for victims, because the organisation of persons with disabilities and the community are already partnering with other organisations. The only challenge is just the regeneration. We have to work hard for it,” said Ratna.

There are two communities in Sleman, Yogyakarta which is part of the Organisation of Persons with Disabilities (OPD). This community has been willing to be the complaints center to people who face sexual abuse of women with disabilities. The communities are in Ngaglik sub-district, with Waluyo as coordinator and in Mlati sub-district, with Dodi as the coordinator.

Waluyo said that a companion requires a high self commitment. “In receiving public complaints, we should have empathy, confidence and attitude to open up,” said Waluyo. He added, “The biggest constraint is human Resources, time and financial. These factors still became a bottleneck for maximum service.”

Hariyanti (40), a Public Relation, Secretary and Treasurer of Mlati Disability Organisation, also shares her experience when assisting survivors. She became a coordinator in Telogo Hati village. Hariyanti always ready to accommodate the complaints of women with disabilities in her area. In every three monthly discussion, she provides insight and discuss the problem to find a solution. Aspirations from women with disabilities and surrounding communities, are collected and reported to CIQAL if the problem can not be resolved.

The assistance to the survivors from CIQAL should be appreciated and supported. Thus, the stakeholders participation to do a real action in preventing and addressing sexual violence against women disabilities is highly needed.

With MAMPU program, it is expected that companion to the victims through the community’s role will continue to increase and the level of sexual violence against women with disabilities can be minimised.