Indonesian Law and Policy on Rape: Paralegals and Access to Justice for Rape Victims

Sammanfattning: This thesis discusses two cases of rape against adolescent girls that happened in Cianjur, West Java, and Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara in Indonesia. First of all, the thesis evaluates the availability of the legal framework in the area of rape in Indonesia that ensures the victims rights with regard to rape. It will look at whether Indonesia has ratified relevant international human rights instrument with regard to rape, whether the legal framework in the area of rape has adhered to the international human rights standard, and if there is the possibility to submit complaint and get it examined. Secondly, the thesis examines if the victim rights of rape are accessible and whether the relevant services and mechanisms are secured for the rape victims without any kind of discrimination. It will investigate if non-discriminatory access to judicial mechanisms and services are secured, whether physical, economic, and social obstacles are being eliminated, and if the access to information and education is available. The thesis demonstrates that the accessibility of the rights of victims rape were due to the fruitful combinations of the effective supports of legal officers and judiciary, the provisions of children rights protection law, and the support of intermediary or paralegal during the case handling.