Does Indonesia's justice system hold sexual abusers accountable?

Image: Aisyah Llewellyn/Al Jazeera

TW: Sexual Assault

Ten years for the man who sexually assaulted six girls. Is this what we call justice?

Benyamin Sitepu, a priest and principal, received a 10-year sentence for sexual assaulting six girls in March 2021.

Each of the girls who came forward reported that Sitepu had disguised the abuse as “special lessons” so that he could isolate and take advantage of them. On one occasion, Sitepu took one of the students to a hotel room under the guise of a “karate class.” He then forced her to give him oral sex.

Even though Sitepu was given a 10 year sentence, most of those convicted in Indonesia only serve two-thirds of their sentence. This is because Indonesia has a remission system. This means that Sitepu will likely serve less than 10 years, underlining how the critical, predatory nature of his crimes are perceived and punished by Indonesia’s criminal justice system. If he were to be released without completing his sentence, he would likely abuse his power again and re-offend.

Interestingly enough, Indonesia’s criminal justice system allows for a variety of sentences – including the death penalty. However, in child sexual assault cases, the maximum sentence is merely 15 years.

In Canada, most sexual abusers are charged with a crime carrying a maximum sentence of 10 years. However, changes to the Criminal Code in 2011 allow for sentences to now be ‘stacked,’ meaning that the maximum sentence Sitepu could receive in Canada would be 60 years – 10 years per assault.

Though this is an extreme sentence, it shows how sentencing varies from country to country.

Along with the Sitepu case, there have also been many recent child sexual abuse cases in Indonesia involving priests and other religious members.

Earlier this month, a Catholic priest known as “Brother Angelo” sexually abused the children under his care at his orphanage. There were over 40 children at this orphanage, and he received a 14-year sentence which once again might be cut short because of Indonesia’s remission system.

This raises the question – when will sexual abusers truly be held responsible for these heinous crimes?