VICTIM-CENTERED JUSTICE APPROACH IN HANDLING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IN INDONESIA

Abstract

Domestic violence (DV) is the most prevalent form of gender-based violence occurring in the personal sphere in Indonesia and has consistently been the most frequently reported complaint category since the National Commission on Violence Against Women began compiling its Annual Report in 2001. Although Law Number 23 of 2004 concerning the Elimination of Domestic Violence has been in effect for more than two decades, the handling of domestic violence in criminal justice practice in Indonesia still tends to be oriented towards punishing the perpetrator, while the needs of recovery, security, and participation of victims are often pushed to the sidelines of the legal process. This article examines how the victim-centered justice approach, a justice paradigm that places the needs and voices of victims as the primary consideration, can be adapted to the domestic violence handling system in Indonesia. This research uses a juridical-normative method with a legislative and conceptual approach, supported by secondary data from the National Commission on Violence Against Women, the Ministry of Women's Empowerment and Child Protection, and literature on restorative justice. The results of the study indicate a significant gap between the number of reports, prosecutions, and recovery of domestic violence victims, indicating that the justice system does not fully side with victims. The victim-centered justice approach emphasizes active victim participation in decision-making, psychosocial recovery, restitution, and ongoing security guarantees as a complement to conventional criminal justice processes. This study recommends strengthening the Integrated Service Unit for the Protection of Women and Children (UPTD PPA), integrating one-stop legal and psychosocial services, strengthening the capacity of law enforcement officers with a victim-centered perspective, and reforming the legal culture still influenced by patriarchal views.