New Doco Shows Rampant Sexual Harassment in Jakarta Factories

Female laborers are prone to sexual harassments in their workplace, a documentary made by women workers in Jakarta has shown.
The documentary Angka Jadi Suara (Number into Voice) was produced by Federasi Buruh Lintas Pabrik (FBLP), an association that groups inter-factory workers, and directed by Dian Septi Trisnati to commemorate the International Labor Day in 2017. It is the first documentary made by a group of female workers about female laborers in the Kawasan Berikat Nusantara (KBN) industrial complex in Cakung, North Jakarta.
In the 22-minute long documentary, a former female worker spoke about the prevalence of sexual harassment in their job every day, representing the voice of her fellow workers at KBN.
“We believe that female workers have the power to change and resist sexual harassment,” said Dian in the media screening of the film on April 26.
“They were once victims, but now they must be fighters,” she added.
Angka Jadi Suara also depicts the daily working condition of female workers at KBN, and the struggle of groups like FBLP, Perempuan Mahardhika and Komite Buruh Perempuan in KBN to help end sexual harassment in workplace.
Since 2012, FBLP, in cooperation with women’s group Perempuan Mahardhika, has made opposition against sexual harassment in the workplace as part trade unions’ programs, in addition to other agenda’s related to wage or work systems.
“Female laborers are no longer victims of numbers to be recorded and analyzed, but they are living numbers who are willing to make changes,” said FBLP’s chair Jumisih.
Dian expressed hopes that victims of sexual harassment in the workplace will be more open to report their harassment. All the data collected by the team will be used to mobilize support from the factory managements, the state apparatus, and the related ministries, she said.
Angka Jadi Suara will be officially launched in May 17 at KBN, and will be screened in Bandung, Bekasi, and nine other cities.