Warning: this article contains references to sexual violence and assault
Indonesian act Gabber Modus Operandi have suspended all touring plans for the foreseeable future, including a run of dates in Canada, while they address an allegation of sexual violence that has been made against one of the duo.
In a statement posted to Instagram, the duo – formed of Kasimyn and Ican Harem – did not confirm which member of the group had been accused of the incident, and did not offer any further information regarding the nature of the allegation except to confirm that it took place in 2019.
Details of the incident were made public earlier this month, on August 9, when the alleged victim tweeted about it. The relevant tweets were subsequently deleted by the alleged victim. Gabber Modus Operandi say they learned of the allegation on August 13.
In their statement, the duo said: "With great regret, we haven’t been able to fully explain the allegations in our efforts to protect the victim because, to this day, the alleged victim hasn’t submitted a complaint report to us. However, we assume full responsibility for any consequences caused by such events."
They claim that they made attempts to contact the alleged victim in order to obtain more information about their allegation, and also said they had reached out to intermediaries who knew both the alleged victim and alleged perpetrator. Neither attempt to make contact succeeded, however, they said.
The duo said they subsequently appointed a professional mediator, an Indonesia-based legal consultant with 17 years of experience in the area of advocacy and assistance to victims of violence against women called Ditta Wisnu, to conduct an independent investigation into the matter.
"GMO will be bound and fully committed to the findings and recommendations made by the mediator," the duo’s statement said. "The mediator is bound under oath and ethics, registered in the Supreme Court of the Republic of Indonesia."
The investigation began on August 25 and will continue through to September 1. The duo have cancelled a tour of Canada while it is ongoing, "as a means of rehabilitation and deep reflection for all GMO members."
Their statement concluded: "We are still learning and improving ourselves to understand better the extent of sexual violence and other forms of violence. We acknowledge our limitations; therefore, we appreciate the input, information and support constantly provided to us."
