The Implementation Of Figures And Inequality In Power Relations In Cases Of Sexual Violence In Islamic Boarding Schools

JAKARTA - The existence of the inauguration of religious leaders is one of the causes of the rise of cases of sexual violence in religious-based educational institutions.

The name Muhammad Elham Yahya Luqman or Gus Elham is currently popular among the public. But his popularity has invited criticism and rain, after circulating photos and videos of Gus Elham's inappropriate behavior.

From the video circulating on social media, Gus Elham seemed to kiss a number of small children on stage during the recitation. The upload sparked anger from netizens, especially since it was later discovered that the action of kissing girls often occurs, and is done during recitation.

Deputy Minister of Religion Muhammad Syafi'i considered it a proper act, especially since the person concerned was considered a religious leader.

The National Coordinator of the Ubaid Matraji Education Monitoring Network (JPPI) said that sexual violence can occur due to a unequal power relationship.

Ubaid explained, when there is an unbalanced power relationship, there is always a gap for abuse of authority, including in cases involving religious leaders and spiritual figures.

Gus Elham's inappropriate actions in girls made religious-based educational institutions, especially pesantren, again in the spotlight.

According to JPPI data, as many as 573 cases of violence occurred in educational circles throughout 2024, of which 42 percent of them were cases of obscenity.

Of the total cases of sexual abuse, 36 percent of them occurred in religious-based learning environments such as pesantren. The number of victims revealed is thought to have increased by 2025.

As of June, JPPI recorded 130 cases. And ironically, this sexual violence was actually carried out by the management and teachers of Islamic boarding schools.

Meanwhile, from Komnas Perempuan noted, throughout 2020 to 2024, sexual violence in Islamic boarding schools or religious-based education was second highest after college.

During that period, there were a total of 97 complaints of sexual violence in the realm of education. Sexual violence in universities in first place was recorded at 42 cases (43 percent), while Islamic Islamic-based pesantren or education in second place was recorded at 17 cases (17.52 percent).

Gus Elham's action to kiss girls on the sidelines of his da'wah forced the public to recall cases of sexual violence within Islamic educational institutions, including pesantren.

Several years ago, the case of boarding school caretaker in the Cibiru area, Bandung City, West Java shocked the public. It was Herry Wirawan, a nanny who was caught molesting dozens of his students until she became pregnant and gave birth. As a result of his actions, Herry was sentenced to death.

What was recently revealed was that the caretaker of the Islamic boarding school in Rembang, East Java, was named a suspect in a case of alleged sexual harassment of children brought their own age and students in May 2025.

Forensic Psychologist Reza Indragiri Amriel said cases of sexual violence that were rife in religious educational institutions occurred because of a closed environment and a pattern of established relations.

"This is marked by religious teachers as the dominant party and santri as a sub-missionive party," Reza told VOI.

However, Reza emphasized that the problem of sexual violence did not only occur in Islamic educational institutions. He referred to the fact that in the 2000s Pope Yohannes Paulus finally recognized cases of child molestation in the church environment.

"This means that sexual crimes against children can occur in any community," he said.

In 2020, cases of sexual violence were revealed at the St. Herkulanus Parish Church in Depok, West Java.

Another source said that at least 21 people had reported being victims of sexual abuse by SPM, which is a child guide in the church. SPM also claimed to have committed sexual violence since 2002 or 18 years before this case was revealed.

Cases of sexual violence also occurred in the Catholic Church d Indonesia. According to data from a number of sources as of November 209, there were 56 victims of sexual violence among the Catholic Church.

The details are that 21 victims are seminarists and fracters, 20 nurses, and 15 nonreligious victims. Meanwhile, the perpetrators were recorded as many as 33 priests and 23 non-imamams.

Research conducted by Dinda Adhani (2024) and published by Gadjah Mada University showed that the relationship between power and power was the main factor for religious leaders to commit sexual violence against children. The perpetrators usually intimidate the victims.

This was confirmed by the National Coordinator of JPPI Ubaid Matraji. According to him, the problem of sexual violence cannot be simulated as a problem that only occurs in religious-based schools. Even in public schools, similar patterns can be found.

Ubaid said that loopholes in abuse of authority, including those involving religious leaders, can occur when there is a unequal power relationship. He added that the cult against religious leaders occurred when the power relationship between teachers and students was abused.

"Teachers use their spiritual authority to gain personal benefits, can be in the form of material, financial, status, or the most dangerous sexual access under the pretext of rituals, ceremonies, or even spirit orders," said Ubaid.

The inauguration, said Ubaid, was the transformation of spiritual power relations into a control tool for exploitation. This inauguration is an enabler that allows perpetrators of sexual violence in active institutions to eliminate consent or approval from victims.

"The victims, especially children, are indoctrinized that refusing is a big sin, while complying is the highest reward so that it makes them helpless and difficult to report," he said.