Love Scam as a Manifestation of Online Gender-Based Violence: Aligning Legislation to Ensure Victim Protection
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.32332/istinbath.v22i01.10739Keywords:
Love Scam, Online Gender-Based Violence, KGBO, Legal ProtectionAbstract
The phenomenon of love scams represents a new form of gender-based violence in the digital realm that is increasingly prevalent in Indonesia. This study aims to trace the history of love scams as a manifestation of online gender-based violence (KGBO), identify the forms of manipulation used, and assess the adequacy of legal protection for victims within the framework of applicable regulations. Using a legal-normative approach and qualitative content analysis, this research examines secondary data in the form of legal regulations, court rulings, and actual case studies involving victims. Findings show that love scams have not only financial consequences but also cause deep psychological trauma due to emotional manipulation in fictitious relationships. This pattern of violence is formed through five stages: creating an attractive identity, seduction, requests for money, online sexual harassment, and finally, the revelation of lies. However, the three main legal instruments in Indonesia—the TPKS Law, the ITE Law, and the Criminal Code—do not explicitly regulate love scams as a form of digital gender-based violence, creating a legal vacuum that harms victims. This study emphasizes the importance of harmonizing regulations with the principle of responsive law, so that legal protection is more adaptive to technological developments and the complexity of gender-based violence in cyberspace.
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