0 Easily denied, difficult to prove

The Network of Care for Child Victims of Pedophilia (JPAKP) in Bali acknowledged that pedophile cases are still difficult to prove and easily denied by society. JPAKP found that there was little or no support provided by the community and families affected by pedophile cases, as most adults were more concerned with preventing associated disgrace rather than the future of their children. 

The Bali branch of the JPAKP consists of 10 institutions, including Lentera Anak Bangsa (LAB); Yayasan Sahabat Anak Bali; LBH Apik Bali; YLBHI-LBH Bali; P2TP2A Bali; P2TP2A Denpasar; Yayasan Manikaya Kauci; and the Network of End Child Prostitution, Child Pornography and Trafficking of Children for Sexual Purposes (ECPAT) in Indonesia. “Communities tend to forget previous pedophile cases, and continue provide space for the perpetrators because they are perceived as helpful [philanthropists],” said Anak Ayu Sri Wahyuni, a psychiatrist who has assisted in the recovery of several victims of pedophile and sexual abuse cases in Bali. 

Wahyuni said that in Kaliasem village in Buleleng regency, there were at least two pedophilia cases involving foreigners with “philanthropic” motives. Victims of such crimes are mostly elementary and junior high school students who are offered “financial assistance” by perpetrators in the form of money, prizes and school stationery. Nengah Budawati from LBH Apik Bali added that the element of philanthropy among the perpetrators made it difficult to apprehend them. “With their ‘kindness’, they gain access to lure children and families.” “Almost all pedophile cases in Bali target impoverished children,” said Wahyuni, the founder of Lentera Anak Bali in Denpasar. 

Perpetual poverty and the rapid growth of tourism have become conducive factors for the rise of crimes toward children in Bali. Wahyuni underlined the fact that support for the affected community during an investigation and trial were crucial because medical examinations could not prove abuse in certain cases, such as sexual assault. “Even oral sex is difficult to prove. Only oral sex that has been performed many times, resulting in fungus in the mouth, can be detected through medical exams,” said Wahyuni. Wahyuni said all sexual abuse, whether it was considered mild or severe, would harm a child’s psyche. 

“We have identified a number of pedophilia victims who still suffer trauma until well into their adult years; for example, the victims of the pedophile cases in Serangan, Denpasar,” she said. Wahyuni said that the JPAKP had written a letter to Buleleng Regent Putu Agus Suradnyana about the latest pedophile case in Kaliasem village that involved Jan Jacabus Vogel, a Dutch national. However, testimony from the four victims and four key witnesses were revoked during trial hearings in the past few weeks. Since 2001, a number of pedophilia cases in Bali have been recorded. 

The perpetrators include both locals and foreigners. The Singaraja area in Buleleng regency has experienced the highest number of pedophilia cases. In 2001, an Italian by the name of Mario Manara was sentenced to only nine months’ imprisonment for child molestation. In 2005, a Dutch man, Max Le Clerco, molested children in Kaliasem while handing out financial assistance to the villagers. He was considered a hero by the locals there. In 2004, Australian Tony William Stuart Brown was sentenced to 13 years in prison for sexually abusing children in a village in Karangasem regency. He killed himself after the verdict had been delivered.

—BD/Luh De Suriyani
source : bali daily