Previously, human rights groups have said they documented some 100 cases of rape during the unrest. Though the mostly Christian and Buddhist Chinese make up only a fraction of Indonesia's largely Muslim population, they dominate commerce and industry, and are often targeted in bad times. It castigated the military for being slow to stop the violence and demanded the government apologize for not protecting its citizens. Suharto's successor, President B.J. Habibie, formed the government task force to investigate the rape allegations in response to complaints of government inaction. The official Antara news agency reported that the military has also ordered the police to launch a separate investigation.
Social workers say many rape victims are too shamed or afraid to go to the police.