Indonesian women assert themselves with martial arts as gender-based violence remains a challenge

Associated Press

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — An emotionally abusive marriage of 11 years has led Rani Miranti to join a fight club that has trained her in martial arts. It has enabled her to stand up against violence. Miranti is one of a growing number of Indonesian women who are taking self-defense classes as gender-based violence poses a challenge in the world’s most populous Muslim-majority nation. The National Commission on Violence Against Women recorded more than 289,000 cases last year. That’s a decrease of around 12% from almost 340,000 in 2022. But the commission said in its annual report in March that the true number of cases is suspected to be significantly higher because of underreporting.