DPR: UGM Campus Must Be A Safe Place, Not A Nest Of Sexual Predators

Faculty of Pharmacy Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) (doc UGM)

Maman assessed that there is no tolerance and pardon for sex predators in the campus environment. He encouraged efforts to prevent harassment in the realm of educational institutions.

There is no room for pardons for perpetrators of sexual crimes in the realm of education. Women everywhere, including in the campus environment, are still considered sexual objects. This is what we must prevent and make sure that this will not happen again," said Maman, Wednesday, April 9.

Maman emphasized that the campus should be an institution that upholds the protection aspect of women. But on the other hand, he said, what happened was that there were still many cases of violence in the campus environment that made women targets.

"Women with student status are still considered as weak individuals so they are vulnerable to cases of violence. It's sad if this is done by teachers and even professors who should understand the values of protection against women," said Maman.

Maman pun mengapresiasi langkah cepat dan tegas yang dilakukan pihak UGM untuk mengusut kasus ini. Ia meminta agar UGM tidak hanya berhenti pada pencopotan jabatan pelaku saja.

"Kasus kekerasan seksual adalah delik biasa yang artinya polisi bisa memproses hukum tanpa perlu ada pengaduan dari pihak-pihak secara khusus. Jadi, siapapun termasuk kampus yang mengetahui adanya bisa melakukan proses pelaporan," katanya.

"If there is a report, this will be a deterrent effect so that cases of violence against women do not happen anywhere, including in the campus environment," continued Maman.

The PKB legislator also highlighted a number of campuses that have formed the PPKS Task Force as an effort to prevent and handle cases of sexual violence that adhere to gender justice. As well as providing protection and services to victims.

"But efforts to continue the importance of gender justice and the prevention of violence must still be carried out. This effort is important to provide a sense of security and protection for women from cases of sexual violence that occur on campus," he concluded.

It is known that the latest case of sexual violence in the campus environment occurred at the Faculty of Pharmacy, Gadjah Mada University (UGM). The perpetrator is a Professor who is proven to have sexually assaulted his students.

This case emerged after a report was made to the Faculty of Pharmacy in July 2024 which was then followed up by the UGM Task Force for the Prevention and Handling of Sexual Violence (Satgas PPKS).

As many as 13 witnesses and victims who have undergone examination and the perpetrator have been dismissed as lecturers and removed from office as Chairman of the Cancer Chemoprevention Research Center (CCRC) of the Faculty of Pharmacy UGM.