ABSTRACT
On 15 July 1998, a group of women from a diversity of professional and social backgrounds came together to protest to President Habibie over the lack of recognition being paid by authorities to the extent of the violence that had occurred in mid-May in Jakarta and other major cities. Their primary concern was to draw the President’s attention to the cases of sexual assault and rapes of women during this time and to demand government assistance for the victims. Following this meeting, President Habibie announced the establishment of the Indonesian Commission on Violence Against Women (Komisi Nasional Anti Kekerasan Perempuan), known as Komnas Perempuan.
