Last Thursday, (3/12), IKa received a donation from Abigail Sirait, the author of Switched Off, a novel that explicitly raises the issue of violence against women in a relationship. Abigal made the donation to the Pundi Perempuan grant to be used to support women victims of violence.
She donated fifteen million rupiah which she raised from the sales of her book. Abigail Sirait handed over the donation in person to Maria Anik Tunjung, IKa’s Executive Director.
Thanks you @siraitabigail
“This novel breaks the stereotype that violence only happens to the lower classes, to those who are uneducated. Asmara shows that this is not the case,” said Ayu Utami, author of the novels Saman and Larung during the launch and discussion of Switched Off by Hotma Abigail Sirait in Jakarta, on Thursday (20/02/2020).
Switched Off explicitly raises the issue of violence against women in abusive relationships. Asmara, as the main protagonist, is portrayed as a victim of violence: verbal, physical and, eventually, financial abuse.
The event was opened with a short introduction by Hotma Abigail Sirait, the author, followed by welcoming remarks by Maria Anik Tunjung, Executive Director of Indonesia for Humanity (IKa), the organization that manages Pundi Perempuan. In order to deepen knowledge and experience of the audience about cases of violence against women, the book launch invited a number of expert speakers including Ayu Utami (novelist), Vitria Lazzarini Latief (Psychologist), and Yuniyanti Chuzaifah (former Head of the National Commission for Women). Discussion was moderated by Ayu Diah Pasha, a popular Indonesian actor.
Switched Off tells of one of the very many cases of violence against women that are perpetrated in Indonesia. According to the National Commission Against Violence Against Women’s 2019 Annual Report, of the 13,568 cases of violence against women recorded, 9,637 took place in the domestic sphere (71%). Of this figure, 2,073 cases were perpetrated by a boyfriend against his girlfriend and 5,114 by a husband against his wife.
“Switched Off tries to show the initial stages of the vicious circle of violence that women can find themselves in within the domestic setting. If Asmara goes ahead with her wedding, she will be on the receiving end of increasing levels of violence, particularly if Rico, her fiancé, expects her to quit her job. Why increasingly bad? Because in the end Asmara will be dependent on Rico, and Rico will be free to do what he likes to Asmara,” continued Abigail with passion.
Through this novel we are invited to understand the psychological complexity of victims of violence, how they reject the knowledge that their partner is a perpetrator of violence, how the victims believe that one day the perpetrators will change, that just a little patience is needed, and how the victim doesn’t want anyone else to know that their partner is violent.
This understanding is important in order that we know how to react if someone close to us is a victim of violence. According to Vitria Lazzarini Latief, if you suspect that someone close to you is experiencing violence, “you can confirm your suspicions by asking them about it in a non-judgemental way. At least you can give the victim the opportunity to talk about her problems.”
According to Maria Anik Tunjung, once the victim has confided in you, it is important to support them so that they can face their problem and be free from the trauma that they have been experiencing at the hand of their partner.
“Providing the victim of violence with access to rehabilitation from the trauma they have experienced is important. As a resource organization, IKa pushes relevant agencies to provide support to organizations that work on issues of violence against women, such as Women Crisis Centers,” said Anik.
Together with the National Commission for Women, which initiated the establishment of Pundi Perempuan, Ika raises, manages and distributes diverse resources to support women victims of violence, including providing funding to organizations that focus on providing services to women victims of violence in Indonesia.
In addition to addressing the issue of violence within the context of a dating couple, Abigail also intends to contribute to supporting women victims of violence by donating profits from the sale of Switched Off to Pundi Perempuan.
*There are few sculptors in Indonesia and even fewer female sculptors. One of those is Dolorosa Sinaga.*
In 2020, Donorosa Sinaga celebrates 40 years as an artist. An exhibition entitled ‘Dolorosa Sinanga’s 40-Year Kaleidoscope of Art Activism,’ was held at the National Gallery, Jakarta. In addition to the exhibition, Dolorosa also published a book about her activism and her art entitled, ‘Dolorosa Sinaga, Body, Form and Substance.’
Dolorosa and Her Men
Humanitarian activists, educator, artist, these are three identities attached to Dolorosa Sinaga. In the exhibition hall stood five male figures. The five figures are the Dalai Lama, President Soekarno, Wiji Thukul, Gus Dur and Multatuli. Gus Dur is posed in the style of a reclining Buddha, showcasing the late president and Muslim cleric’s famous laugh. Poet Wiji Thukul, who was abducted and disappeared for his political activism under the New Order, is depicted reading poetry with his left hand raised. Soekarno, Indonesia’s first president and founding father sits crossed-legged sporting his signature sunglasses. Multatuli, 19th century Dutch author and anti-colonial campaigner, is reading from an enormous book and the Dalai Lama is shown relaxed and happy. As a sculptor, Dolorosa works with a variety of materials; as an artist, Dolorosa expresses her ideas freely but firmly. The five men in her exhibition convey an energy and spirit that she shares as an idea of humanity. Dolorosa Sinaga is also one of the initiators of the Turn Left Festival, and has the energy of someone who opposed and exposes New Order propaganda, which must set straight.
Dolorosa and Women
The office of the National Commission Against Violence Against Women in located on Latuharhary Road, Jakarta. Go through the main entrance, turn left and then right. On the left-hand side of the stairs one of Dolorosa Sinaga’s statues is on display. The Statue of Solidarity, a statue of a number of women standing a row, holding hands. The woman of the far-left holds a clenched fist aloft in a symbol of resistance. One of the women is caressing her stomach, she’s pregnant. “Dolorosa is very serious, many of her statues are created in the form of a woman,” said gender rights activist Saparinah Sadli in a statement recorded for the exhibition. She underscored the fact that Dolorosa is an artists that sides firmly with women. “I don’t choose women as subjects, but rather I am inspired by women. Women represent change of life,” said Dolorosa in an interview.
Her support of the women’s movement is not only evidence in her work. Dolorosa is one of the first people who supported the founding of Pundi Perempuan, the only public grant in Indonesia that specifically supports the rehabilitation of women victims of violence, and in particular by supporting organizations that provide services for victims. Pundi Perempuan was initiated by the National Commission for Women in 2001 and later managed in partnership with Indonesian for Humanity (IKa) in its role as grant manager. Congratulations for 40 years of creativity and activism, keep up the good work and continue to represent the spirit of humanity.
Because she questioned the volume of the mosque loud speaker, Meliana was sentenced to 1.5 years’ imprisonment. Indonesia for Humanity (IKa) provided support to Meliana in order to resolve her case.
Meliana is an ethic Chinese woman, born and brought up in the town of Tanjung Balai, North Sumatra. She has four children and sells salt fish. Meliana’s day to day activities are the same as the other women in her area; she leaves home in the morning and works until the evening, she lives in a friendly neighborhood where everyone greets one another.
However, her life changed drastically on 22 July 2016. On that date, at around 07.00 in the morning, Meliana was buying provisions at Mrs Uwo’s stall. While chatting, Meliana said: “Mrs Uwo, the sound of the mosque loud speaker didn’t used to be as loud as this did it Mrs Uwo?” and then she returned home.
A world turned upside down
On 29th July 2012 at around 19.00 in the evening, five men went to Meliana’s home, accusing her of calling for a ban of the call to prayer. At the same time, a crowd gathered outside her house. Meliana’s husband, Mr Lian Tui, went directly to the Al Maksum mosque to apologize to the mosque authorities.
Nevertheless, at around 20.00 the same evening the local security and police officers went to Meliana’s home and asked her to accompany them to the local administrative headman’s office as news that ‘a Chinese woman had prohibited the call to prayer’ was spreading fast around Tanjung Balai. Consequently, Meliana’s home was attacked, stones thrown through her windows and the front of the house set on fire.
From that day on, Meliana had to face many changes to her life. She was under investigation from 26 July 2916 to 30 May 2018, at which point the case was considered ready for trial. Meliana was detained on 30 May 2018 and held in Tanjung Gusta prison in Tanjung Balai, Medan, as the case was to be tried in the Medan State Court.
The first hearing was held on 25 June 2018. There were 12 hearings held in total leading up to the day when the judges reached their decision on 20 August 2018. Meliana was subjected to harassment and abuse from the crowds in attendance throughout the trial, including those from the Medan Belawan Islamic Umma Forum. They shouted and screamed threats and insults at her and the judiciary.
These conditions increased the trauma that Meliana experienced throughout the process. In her pain, her tears streamed down her face as she recounts her emotions and the things she experienced during the trial.
The judges announced their decision on 20 August 2018, handing down a sentence of 1.5 years’ imprisonment. Meliana decided to appeal the decision even though she was unsure whether she should appeal or not. Her indecision was based on considering her children who had already suffered: reading news about their mother’s case was unavoidable. Meliana was also thinking about her family’s safety. However, based on the advice of her legal team she agreed to appeal the court’s decision on 24 August 2018.
Pundi Perempuan Support for Meliana
Throughout her ordeal Meliana received support from a number of different sources, including organizations and individuals such as the United North Sumatra Alliance (Aliansi Sumut Bersatu), Deva Sebaya, a religious teacher from Medan, the National Commission for Women, Gajah Mada University Faculty of Law, Onename Foundation Jogjakarta (Yayasan Satunama Jogjakarta) and the PETRASA Foundation from Sidikalang.
Indonesia for Humanity (IKa) provided a grant of 20 million rupiah to support Meliana via the Pundi Perempuan grant to help cover the cost of meetings and the preparation of trial documents, counselling services, expert witnesses and consultants as well as the travel of supporting organizations from Medan and Jakarta. The handling of this case required a number of different strategies and approaches. The psychological needs of the family, particularly Meliana’s husband and her youngest child who actively supported her to face her fears and trauma. It will take a long time for Meliana and her family to heal.
