The 5th Annual Workshop on Globalization 2024: Voices for Change ‘Media’s Role in Ending Gender-Based Violence’
It was recorded that throughout 2024 the number of reports of sexual violence cases collected by the Ministry of PPPA reached 23,294 cases. Of these, women are the most victims with a percentage reaching 86 per cent. (Data up to 20 November 2024)
Ironically, gender-based violence does not stop at that issue. The media has a big role, one of which is by publishing articles whose language actually complicates and normalizes gender-based violence (GBV).
Numbers and facts cannot be underestimated, to respond to gender-based violence (GBV) the International Program Communication (IPC) held The5th Annual Workshop on Globalization 2024 which took the topic Voices for Change ‘Media’s Role in Ending Gender-Based Violence’ on 19 November 2024 at Main Library UII.
This topic explores the intersection of globalization, feminism, and media in shaping gender-based violence (GBV) and its impact on women’s empowerment.
How Media’s Role in Ending Gender-based Violence?
Interestingly, this workshop did not only present perspectives from women’s voices, but also from men’s voices. The three speakers presented included Dr. Katrin Bandel (Faculty member of the Department of Cultural Studies, Sanata Dharma University, International Scholar with expertise in media and gender studies), Indiah Wahyu Andari (Director of Rifka Annisa Women’s Crisis Center, a gender specialist with expertise in gender-based violence), and Iwan Awaluddin Yuyuf, Ph.D. (Faculty member of the Department of Communications, Universitas Islam Indonesia, an expert on media and gender studies).
Dr. Katrin Bandel delivered a presentation on ‘Sexual Violence Narratives in the Mass Media and in Fiction’. She explained how the narratives in the media are more likely to tell things that do not consider the trauma of victims to be unbalanced.
Sexual violence is an experience that ruins the victim’s life, it is also tough to tell. However, at the same time, the media actually makes news that explores the profile of the perpetrator and compares his condition with the victim. Until the public is led to sympathize with the future of the perpetrator if they receive severe punishment.
“But even therapeutic or feminist narratives can become problematic, if they are normalized, so that a rape victim not fitting into the narrative feels marginalized and not represented,” she said.
In addition, rape culture normalizes rape and sexual violence through the assumption that it is normal for men to be very aggressive and unable to control their desires. Unfortunately, another habit is victim blaming for the victim’s appearance, accusing the victim as a provocateur for the perpetrator’s actions.
This statement is supported by research conducted by Iwan Awaluddin Yusuf, Ph.D, the media in Indonesia in publishing GBV news often journalists use titles that are not in accordance with the context.
‘The problem starts with the use of words. Double victimization’ he said.
In the context of sexual violence against child victims, the choice of words that should use the phrase ‘rape and sexual abuse’ instead chooses ‘planning sex’. In the choice of words, children who should be positioned as victims instead seem to be sexual subjects.
By giving various examples of inappropriate word choice, he said that the position of journalists as important figures in the media should be a fair figure.
‘Journalists as mindful users of language, fix the misused word,’ he said again.
Indiah Wahyu Andari, a professional who has been helping GBV victims for years, said that the role of the media is very large. One of them is through GBV preventive campaigns.
She shared three stages of prevention, first primary prevention which refers to activities to do before sexual violence occurs through stopping conditions that support sexual violence and promoting positive behaviors to prevent sexual violence.
Then there is secondary prevention, which is the immediate response after sexual violence occurs to prevent and address both short-term and long-term impacts on victims through things like reporting, case handling, and recovery.
Finally, tertiary prevention is activities to prevent the recurrence of violence. Building structures, norms, and social practices that prevent the risk of recurrence of violence.
The hope is that the workshop will be able to offer a global perspective. The dual role of the media in perpetuating and overcoming violence against women, and the important role of feminist activism in shaping media narratives and promoting women’s empowerment.
