CONTENT WARNING: This article deals with themes of sexual assault and violence against women.

In September 2024, the SA and murder of Nia Kurnia Sari became a viral case as there was sensationalism due to her appearance in the background of a random video clip taken just hours before her death.

She was seen carrying a basket of fried food to sell to financially support her family, which, consequently, has been used to hail her story as one that highlights “hard work” as people were inspired by her determination to do heavy labor after a day at school.

Her story was so sensationalized to the point that her grave, described as “being very fragrant, was said to be a good place for visits and blessings.” From the tourism it garnered to the TikTok posts and music video made at her grave, people have undoubtedly exploited her place of resting.

But it does not end there, as a film about her tragedy has been agreed to be made.

This does not sound surprising as just last year, the tragedy of Vina Dewi Arsi, who was SA’d and tortured to death by a motorcycle gang, was adapted for the silver screen in Vina: Sebelum 7 Hari. Despite garnering over 5.7 million watchers in the cinemas—making it the second best-selling Indonesian film of the year—it was riddled with controversy over depictions of graphic physical and sexual violence.

There seems to be immense insensitivity towards the pain and tragedy of the victims' cases and an immediate reaction to exploit them for the media.

Although consent was given from the family, it highlights that the very same world which created environments that made life so unsafe and violent to them is now also responsible for undermining the severity of the issue by viewing it as something to consume as entertainment.

Privacy, respect, and dignity should be given to those who are SA survivors and wish to come forward, yet a huge concern that exists in Indonesia is the fact that it would bring shame to their name.

While we aren’t conservative enough to see the vulgarity in watching hyper-dramatized sexual violence in film, we ironically draw the line in hearing about SA in real life.

We still have a long way to go before we create an environment where it is safe for SA victims to speak out, but for the moment, feminist organizations play a big role in providing trustworthy third parties as a safe outlet for self-reporting.

Cari Layanan (@carilayanan) is run by Jakarta Feminist and is a helpful resource to search for which organization closest to them can help. Their website links to 100 organizations based in various parts of Indonesia.

LBH APIK JAKARTA (@lbhapik.jakarta) provides their counseling services, redirects them to psychologists, and offers consultations on how to proceed.

Komnas Perempuan (@komnasperempuan) is an institute that focuses on women’s rights, but also holds workshops and talks regarding SA.

If you or anyone you know has experienced the issue spoken in this article, please remember that your safety and comfort matters and that there will always be someone more than eager to help you.