Men in Pekanbaru and Makassar are slowly changing their minds about domestic violence
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Pam Nilan
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A Rifka Annisa pamphlet asks men if they really love their wivesPam Nilan |
Most men in the cities of Pekanbaru and Makassar regard domestic violence as quite normal. In the words of a market trader in Pekanbaru, ‘Domestic violence happens inside the family. It’s only natural.’ A military man in the same city said ‘If I were to beat my wife, I would have the right because I was teaching her how to behave properly. A gang member from Makassar claimed that ‘you have a lot of guys who fight with their girlfriends’. An ojek driver from the same city acknowledged violence against women in his neighbourhood, adding that ‘it happens when men get drunk’.
Unlike these men, people in Indonesia more generally are reluctant to talk about violence against women, especially violence that takes place in the home. Instead, violence against women remains a private matter – a view justified by the belief that a man has the right to control and teach his wife. This is supported by traditional values and religious beliefs in many regions which reinforce the inferior status of women. Indeed, despite rapid economic growth, gender inequalities and injustices remain, including violence against women. In 2009, 143,586 cases of physical violence against women were reported. But this is only the tip of the iceberg.
