Bullying of 33 Middle School Students in Blora: KPAI Highlights Normalization of 'Kidding' Perception

KPAI. (Antaranews)

JAKARTA - Dian Sasmita, a member of the Indonesian Child Protection Commission (KPAI), emphasized that the issue of bullying must be taken seriously, not only in terms of case handling but also in prevention efforts.

"Collective awareness needs to be built, especially among adults, parents, caregivers, educators, and policymakers, so that they fully understand what bullying means and the serious impacts it can have," Dian said when contacted in Blora on Monday, as quoted by Antara.

According to her, with a good understanding, adults are expected to be able to provide an appropriate response when facing or learning about cases of bullying in their children's environment.

KPAI highlighted the continuing tendency of society to normalize bullying behavior, assuming it is just a joke or something common among children.

In fact, Dian said, every act of bullying, whether physical, verbal, or non-contact, including those that occur online, can have profound psychological and emotional impacts on victims.

"If bullying is considered trivial, treatment for child victims and perpetrators tends to be less than optimal," she stressed.

He added that case resolutions often stop at apologies without considering emotional and psychological recovery. However, both victims and perpetrators need comprehensive support to recover emotionally and improve their behavior.

Dian explained that support for child victims and perpetrators is provided by the Women and Children Protection Unit (UPTD PPA) in conjunction with the local Social Services Agency for Women's Empowerment and Child Protection (Dinsos P3A).

Meanwhile, Blora City Police Chief, AKP Rustam, stated that 33 junior high school students in Blora Regency underwent counseling at the Blora Police Department on Monday after a video of them allegedly committing bullying went viral on social media.

"This step is a form of education to prevent similar incidents from recurring. We prioritize an educational approach over a repressive one. We are providing support to 33 students today," he said.

He explained that the case is still under investigation and further investigation. "It is currently under investigation. We are still investigating the involvement and roles of each party," he added.

According to him, the police have summoned the parents and children involved in the bullying video.

"We also summoned 30 parents. However, only about 20 people attended. The summons was conducted in collaboration with the school," he said.

The guidance activities were held at the police station to provide guidance and support to the students. "We asked for information from each student, after which we will take further steps," he said.

He added that further guidance will be coordinated with the Women and Children's Services Unit (PPA) of the Blora Police.

"The plan is for guidance to be held regularly, about twice a week, at the PPA of the Blora Police so that it can be handled directly by authorized officers," he said.

Previously, a case of alleged bullying at a junior high school (SMP) in Blora Regency, Central Java, drew public attention after a video of the incident circulated widely on a paid app.

In the 25-second video, a student is seen being subjected to unpleasant treatment by several classmates in a school bathroom. The victim was seen being beaten and mocked, while other students just watched without trying to intervene.