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Reforming Justice for Digital Sexual Violence in Southeast Asia: Indonesia’s Legal Protection Framework and Regional Lessons

International Law Discourse in Southeast Asia · Vol. 5 No. 1 (2026) · pp. 126–158

DOI
10.15294/ildisea.v5i1.42711
ISSN
2829-9655, 2830-0297
Published
2026-07-06
Publisher
Universitas Negeri Semarang
Language
eng
License
creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0

Abstract

Digital sexual violence is escalating in Southeast Asia as social media, chat services, and cloud storage enable non-consensual recording, dissemination of intimate images, sexual threats, and technology-facilitated harassment. This article assesses Indonesia’s legal protection framework and draws regional lessons for reform. Using normative legal research with international human rights law and comparative legal study as its primary approaches, this article examines Indonesia’s criminal law policies and selected judicial decisions concerning electronic-based sexual violence under the Sexual Violence Criminal Acts Law (SVCA Law, Law No. 12/2022) and the Electronic Information and Transactions Law (EIT Law, Law No. 19/2016). The analysis finds that Indonesia has advanced by criminalizing electronic-based sexual violence under the SVCA Law, yet sanctions remain focused on imprisonment and fines, leaving gaps for effective deterrence when offenders repeatedly exploit online communication tools. A recent revenge-porn case illustrates judicial experimentation with internet-access restrictions and the countervailing legality principle. Comparative insights from Canada and Germany show that court-supervised digital restrictions can be structured as additional penalties, while regional experiences in Malaysia, Thailand, and Japan underscore the value of conduct-specific offences and safeguards. The article proposes amending the SVCA Law, as lex specialis, to authorize proportionate revocation or limitation of online-communication access, supported by clear criteria, review mechanisms, and consistent inter-agency monitoring to balance constitutional freedoms and human rights.

Keywords

Collaboration network of the authors

40 authors · 108 co-authorship links · 10 across different organisations · showing the 40 most connected

Hover or tap a name to highlight its co-authors. Double-click to open the author's page.

  • Universitas Halu Oleo
  • Hasanuddin University
  • Affiliation unknown
  • Different organisations
  • Same organisation
  • Affiliation unknown
  • Thicker line = more joint articles · bigger circle = more articles
Show as table
Co-authorOrganisationJoint articles
Irdam RianiUniversitas Halu Oleo8
Roslindah Daeng SiangUniversitas Halu Oleo6
Wa Ode PilianaUniversitas Halu Oleo6
Muhammad Saleh TajuddinAffiliation unknown5
Akhmad MansyurUniversitas Halu Oleo4
Sjamsu Alam LawelleAffiliation unknown4
Maskun MaskunHasanuddin University4
Hariyanto HariyantoAffiliation unknown4
M. Syukri AkubHasanuddin University3
Muh. Fahmi Mirza BarataHasanuddin University2
Sjamsu Alam LawelleUniversitas Halu Oleo2
Sena MahendraAffiliation unknown2
Syarif Saddam RivanieHasanuddin University2
A.M. Djaelani PrasetyaHasanuddin University2
Ali RizkyUniversitas Halu Oleo2
- NurmawatiAffiliation unknown1
Asrip PuteraUniversitas Halu Oleo1
Muh. Yani BalakaUniversitas Halu Oleo1
Muh. Nur AfiatUniversitas Halu Oleo1
Syamsul KamriAffiliation unknown1
Riski JunaldiAffiliation unknown1
. HawianiAffiliation unknown1
DafirudinUniversitas Halu Oleo1
Sarini YusufUniversitas Halu Oleo1
BasukiUniversitas Halu Oleo1
AhyarUniversitas Halu Oleo1
Madrin TakbirAffiliation unknown1
A. Ismail NovalUniversitas Halu Oleo1
. PustriaAffiliation unknown1
Andryani MeryUniversitas Halu Oleo1
Nurdiana A.Affiliation unknown1
. AsrianiAffiliation unknown1

Affiliations come from OpenAlex; journal OAI-PMH metadata carries none. Authors without an OpenAlex ID are matched by name, which can merge or split people.

Metadata source: OAI-PMH (metadata jurnal) https://journal.unnes.ac.id/journals/ildisea/oai, first harvested 5 Nov 2026, last seen 8 Nov 2026.
Original metadata (oai_dc) 
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	<dc:title xml:lang="en">Reforming Justice for Digital Sexual Violence in Southeast Asia: Indonesia’s Legal Protection Framework and Regional Lessons</dc:title>
	<dc:creator xml:lang="en">Maskun</dc:creator>
	<dc:creator xml:lang="en">Mukhlis, Muhammad Mutawalli</dc:creator>
	<dc:creator xml:lang="en">Munandar, M. Aris</dc:creator>
	<dc:creator xml:lang="en">Muchtar, Syamsuddin </dc:creator>
	<dc:creator xml:lang="en">Azisa, Nur</dc:creator>
	<dc:creator xml:lang="en">Muin, Audyna Mayasari </dc:creator>
	<dc:creator xml:lang="en">Arifin, Arnita Pratiwi</dc:creator>
	<dc:creator xml:lang="en">Budiyanto</dc:creator>
	<dc:subject xml:lang="en">digital sexual violence</dc:subject>
	<dc:subject xml:lang="en">technology-facilitated sexual violence</dc:subject>
	<dc:subject xml:lang="en">SVCA Law No. 12/2022</dc:subject>
	<dc:subject xml:lang="en">EIT Law No. 19/2016</dc:subject>
	<dc:subject xml:lang="en">internet access restriction</dc:subject>
	<dc:description xml:lang="en">Digital sexual violence is escalating in Southeast Asia as social media, chat services, and cloud storage enable non-consensual recording, dissemination of intimate images, sexual threats, and technology-facilitated harassment. This article assesses Indonesia’s legal protection framework and draws regional lessons for reform. Using normative legal research with international human rights law and comparative legal study as its primary approaches, this article examines Indonesia’s criminal law policies and selected judicial decisions concerning electronic-based sexual violence under the Sexual Violence Criminal Acts Law (SVCA Law, Law No. 12/2022) and the Electronic Information and Transactions Law (EIT Law, Law No. 19/2016). The analysis finds that Indonesia has advanced by criminalizing electronic-based sexual violence under the SVCA Law, yet sanctions remain focused on imprisonment and fines, leaving gaps for effective deterrence when offenders repeatedly exploit online communication tools. A recent revenge-porn case illustrates judicial experimentation with internet-access restrictions and the countervailing legality principle. Comparative insights from Canada and Germany show that court-supervised digital restrictions can be structured as additional penalties, while regional experiences in Malaysia, Thailand, and Japan underscore the value of conduct-specific offences and safeguards. The article proposes amending the SVCA Law, as lex specialis, to authorize proportionate revocation or limitation of online-communication access, supported by clear criteria, review mechanisms, and consistent inter-agency monitoring to balance constitutional freedoms and human rights.</dc:description>
	<dc:publisher xml:lang="en">Universitas Negeri Semarang</dc:publisher>
	<dc:date>2026-07-06</dc:date>
	<dc:type>info:eu-repo/semantics/article</dc:type>
	<dc:type>info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion</dc:type>
	<dc:format>application/pdf</dc:format>
	<dc:identifier>https://journal.unnes.ac.id/journals/ildisea/article/view/42711</dc:identifier>
	<dc:identifier>10.15294/ildisea.v5i1.42711</dc:identifier>
	<dc:source xml:lang="en">International Law Discourse in Southeast Asia; Vol. 5 No. 1 (2026): January-June 2026; 126-158</dc:source>
	<dc:source>2829-9655</dc:source>
	<dc:source>2830-0297</dc:source>
	<dc:source>10.15294/ildisea.v5i1</dc:source>
	<dc:language>eng</dc:language>
	<dc:relation>https://journal.unnes.ac.id/journals/ildisea/article/view/42711/10604</dc:relation>
	<dc:rights xml:lang="en">Copyright (c) 2026 Maskun, Muhammad Mutawalli Mukhlis, M. Aris Munandar, Syamsuddin Muchtar, Nur Azisa, Audyna Mayasari  Muin, Arnita Pratiwi Arifin, Budiyanto (Author)</dc:rights>
	<dc:rights xml:lang="en">https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0</dc:rights>
</oai_dc:dc>