Puan's Note On Cases Of Sexual Violence On Campus Must Be A Commemoration For Universities

JAKARTA - The chairman of the Indonesian House of Representatives, Puan Maharani, highlighted that there are still many cases of sexual violence in universities that the campus ignores, especially with women as the majority of victims. Puan's warning is considered to be a record for universities considering that neglecting cases of violence against women is a form of rights violation.

"I agree with the Chairman of the Indonesian House of Representatives, Mrs. Puan Maharani, that sexual violence wherever it is, including on campus, requires all of our attention. This is a serious problem that must be addressed immediately and is a warning to universities," said Women Activist from Sarinah Institute, Luky Sandra Amalia, Tuesday 17 September.

In her statement, Puan said that the number of cases of violence that have occurred so far shows that there is still a low awareness and mechanism for handling sexual violence in universities. Amalia also agreed with this and assessed that there must be a deterrent effect given to perpetrators of sexual violence so that the case does not happen again.

"Unselected law enforcement is very important to provide a deterrent effect to perpetrators of violence, regardless of background," he said.

Amalia also criticized the handling of cases of sexual violence on campus which were often slow even though Indonesia had many legal regulations to protect the public, especially women from sexual violence. Such as Law Number 12 of 2022 concerning the Crime of Sexual Violence (TPKS) which is an initiative of the DPR.

"Even though we already have the TPKS Law as a legal umbrella for cases of sexual violence, it turns out that there is still a lot of homework that must be completed to make the legal umbrella run effectively," said Amalia.

Amalia admitted that there was still an imbalance in power relations that cornered women. For this reason, Puan's message, which underlines the relationship between power in cases of sexual violence on campus, is considered very relevant.

"What the Speaker of the House of Representatives said was a support for victims of sexual violence, in this case the majority of whom were female students who often did not dare to speak or were afraid to reveal cases of sexual violence they experienced," he said.

Amalia added that Puan Maharani's concern regarding this issue could be an entry point for the DPR to find the best solution to create zero tolerance for sexual violence. The DPR can encourage ministries/agencies as partners to work to improve programs or protection that are pro-to-women on campus.

"For example, the DPR can convey to the executive as its working partner to add CCTV on campus. In addition to minimizing incidents of sexual violence, this is also to make it easier for victims to collect evidence to strengthen their report to the legal apparatus," explained Amalia.

"So as stated by the Chairperson of the DPR, campus policies should be pro to women. And don't be afraid to investigate cases of sexual violence in the environment because the campus also has a moral responsibility to support the protection and empowerment of women," he continued.

Based on a survey conducted by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research and Technology (Kemendikbud Ristek), sexual violence is mostly occurring in universities. Data as of July 2023, there were 65 cases of sexual violence in universities.

Meanwhile, during the 2015-2021 period, Komnas Perempuan received 67 reports of cases of sexual violence in the educational environment. Of all these reports, the majority or 35% came from campuses or colleges.

Amalia, who is also a researcher at the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), also hopes that the DPR encourages the authorities to handle cases of sexual violence professionally.

"The DPR also needs to encourage the campus to form an independent task force that provides safe space for victims to report incidents that happened to them without fear of being intervened or instead accused of being victim programming," he added.

According to Amalia, this is important as supervision of educators in the campus environment. Because usually the power relationship carried out by educators or lecturers who commit sexual violence against female students is by threatening or urging related to the value or process of education.

Amalia also agreed with Puan's appeal to remind universities to play their role, which not only functions as an educational institution, but also as a moral and ethical guard who ensures that every individual, especially a woman, is protected from all forms of violence.

"Universities need to hold training or workshops on campus on sexual violence from various related institutions," said Amalia.

Previously, the Chairman of the Indonesian House of Representatives, Puan Maharani, highlighted the handling of cases of sexual violence on campus which were still lacking. He asked the campus to increase awareness, especially when handling cases of sexual violence under his own roof.

The campus should be a place that supports academic freedom and provides a sense of security for all students, without exception. This sense of security includes ensuring that the university environment is free from all forms of violence, both physically, mentally, and sexually violent," said Puan last week.

"We deeply regret that the campus has neglected cases of sexual violence. As superior human resource printers, universities should be committed to showing their integrity and credibility towards things that are against the law, morals, and ethics," said Puan.

Puan said the sexual violence that occurred in the academic space showed that the protection system was not yet effective enough in preventing or responding to cases of gender-based violence considering that the majority of victims of sexual violence were women.

According to Puan, the Government, educational institutions, and the community must work together in creating policies that protect women and guarantee campuses as a safe and fair space for all students.

"The low handling of cases of sexual violence on campus also shows policies that are not pro-female," said Puan.

"In the midst of the progress of the times, the educational environment should be at the forefront as a party that supports the protection and empowerment of women," continued the first woman who served as Chair of the DPR RI.

Puan also highlighted the verdict against a former lecturer in Bandar Lampung who was proven to have raped or sexually assaulted his student. The perpetrator was sentenced to 8.5 years in prison for his actions and obliged to pay a fine and restitution for his actions.

There are still many cases of sexual violence in universities considered as how complex and rooted the problem of gender inequality in an academic environment. According to Puan, cases of sexual violence not only show individual failure, but also reflect structural problems that strengthen women's vulnerability in public spaces.

"Including on campuses that should be a safe and inclusive place," he said.