JakartaPost-Dec 8
One in four women in Indonesia has experienced sexual violence in their lifetime, with at least 30 percent of reported cases committed by intimate partners according to a 2024 survey conducted by the Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection Ministry. A photo that might seem harmless can turn a woman into a target of sexual harassment overnight. This is a reality portrayed in short film FOTOME that follows Kila, a young woman who is photographed without consent while jogging and her photo is then met with body-shaming, objectification and sexualized comments after it is uploaded and reposted online. As the inappropriate reactions multiply, so does the harm, leaving Kila with little power to reclaim her dignity in a digital realm where traces rarely disappear. Director and scriptwriter Vera Isnaini drew from her own experience and those of other female runners in Pontianak, West Kalimantan, who were photographed in public without their consent. Their images were later shared online without permission. Vera was one of five directors whose films explore the realities faced by women and girls of how they continue to face the risk of violence in all settings and relationships. Such concerns became the focus of this year’s 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence campaign, which renews calls for the urgent need for safe spaces in both public and private spheres The themes reflect the reality captured by a 2024 survey from the Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection Ministry, which found that one in four Indonesian women has experienced physical and/or sexual violence in their lifetime. Read more at:
