December 14, 2025 | 04:23 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The disaster situation in several regions in Indonesia has once again highlighted the high risk of sexual violence against women in evacuation centers. Women, children, and the elderly are considered the most vulnerable in emergency conditions, while non-physical risks such as sexual violence often go unnoticed in disaster response priorities.
Gender observer and academic from the Graduate School of Gadjah Mada University (UGM), Ratna Noviani, said that the government and volunteers have mainly focused on physical recovery, including logistics distribution, evacuation, and infrastructure repair.
"The sexual violence against women during disaster situations is clear evidence that non-physical risks are still easily overlooked," said Ratna, as quoted from an official statement on Sunday, December 14, 2025.
According to Ratna, the lack of a gender perspective in disaster management policies is the main challenge in protecting women in evacuation centers. Authorities and volunteers often prioritize meeting basic needs, considering issues of sexual violence as not urgent. However, vulnerability actually increases in emergencies.
"Disaster responses need to be more gender-sensitive because women face layered burdens, both due to patriarchal social structures and unsafe evacuation conditions," she said.
Ratna emphasized the importance of disaster response mechanisms that incorporate gender analysis from the outset. Even in emergencies, evacuation management needs to consider gender-based security aspects, such as providing separate sanitation facilities, safe sleeping arrangements, and areas that preserve women's privacy.
In addition, reporting and support services for victims of sexual violence need to be prepared as part of disaster preparedness. She mentioned several steps that should be standard, including the placement of female officers at evacuation points, adequate lighting, volunteer training on gender-based violence, and strengthening cooperation with victim support institutions. "Strengthening reporting mechanisms, community education, and inter-agency coordination are important to prevent potential violence from the outset," said Ratna.
She hopes that protecting women will no longer be considered an additional element of disaster management but rather a primary component of every mitigation phase. "We need a system that recognizes gender-based vulnerabilities so that the safety and dignity of women are always prioritized, to prevent sexual violence in disaster situations and prevent it from recurring," she said.
Read: Govt Prepares State Land for Sumatra Disaster Victim Relocation
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