Interview With MS, Victim Of Harassment At KPI: There Are Other Victims Besides Me

JAKARTA - An employee of the Central Indonesian Broadcasting Commission (KPI), MS, who claimed to be a victim of bullying and sexual harassment cases finally opened his voice. He testified that there were several victims of bullying besides himself.

"The other victim has the initials HS. He is a quiet person, so he doesn't want to say anything," said MS when interviewed by VOI.

HS, said MS, is the second person in the Visual Data Division of KPI who is the most being bullied besides himself. According to MS, the reported case of alleged sexual harassment he experienced had once opened HS' clothes. But instead of reporting, HS chose to remain silent and surrendered to God.

"The reported sexual harassment person once took HS' shirt off and twirled it around. He didn't dare to fight back while saying 'just let it be and God will take care of it.' Then I said 'this is in the world bro, not in the hereafter,'" said MS.

Not only HS, but another victim of bullying at KPI is also AC. He served in the Monitoring Analyst Division.

MS said that at that time AC had just started working. At that time AC did not get a seat. Then he took a seat in the Visual Data Division room. That's when the bullying started.

"He was also intimidated, ordered around like making coffee, making tea. Even though there was an office boy. And from a work position they were actually equal," said MS.

According to MS, who has worked at KPI for a decade, namely since 2011, the culture of bullying at KPI is considered commonplace. Even when in the early days of entering, MS immediately received a warning from one of the seniors.

"Indeed, since the beginning, I have also been greeted by a senior 'welcome to the jungle'. I was confused about what it meant. It turned out that I just realized that the law of the jungle is there. Especially in the Visual Data Division."

Suspected victim of sexual harassment at KPI, MS (VOI Documentation)

Victims of bullying and sexual harassment do not see gender. This crime can happen to anyone. At least that's what MS experienced.

"Many people have the wrong perception that a man must be strong, a man must be masculine, must be strong, but we have a heart, an emotional side, a mind that can also be disturbed. Men and women can experience sexual harassment," he said.

Commissioner of the National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) Beka Ulung Hapsara confirmed that there were many alleged victims of bullying at KPI. According to him, bullying at KPI is considered normal. KPI, said Beka, had failed to create a safe and comfortable work environment for its employees.

"It is strongly suspected that there were incidents of bullying against MS and forms of jokes or humor that were offensive and mocked the conditions and situations of individual personal lives. Habits in relations between employees in an environment that contain harsh and sexist words such as bastards and others in the KPI environment," said Beka at an online press conference.

Komnas HAM Findings

After months of investigating MS case, Komnas HAM said there were three human rights violations in the MS case. The first human rights violation that MS experienced was related to the right to security, freedom from threats, violence, and improper treatment.

"So when we talk about human rights, it's about human dignity. The sexual harassment incident that happened to MS, especially nudity, and displaying the testicles is a form of degrading human dignity," said Beka.

Then the second finding, Komnas HAM showed that there were violations of human rights, especially free from threats, violence, and inappropriate treatment experienced by MS. Then the third is the finding of violations of the right to physical and mental health.

On that basis, Komnas HAM called the work environment at KPI unsafe, intimidating, and not full of respect. "The situation and conditions experienced by MS show that the occurrence of human rights violations to work and have a fair and safe workplace," said Beka.

Komnas HAM's statement was then responded to by the Deputy Chairman of the Central KPI, Mulyo Hadi Purnomo. He admitted that his party had failed to protect its employees from sexual harassment and bullying because it was experienced by one of its employees, MS.

"If it is later stated that we failed to do that [protecting employees], maybe it can also be stated like that," he said at an online press conference.

Even so, Mulyo said that his party would not remain silent. He said the Central KPI had formed an internal investigation team to investigate the allegation. It's just that the results are not announced to avoid subjectivity.

"Because of that (the results, ed) we completely leave it to the police and also Komnas HAM and internal investigations carried out by the KPI itself, we submit to Kominfo, for example, or the DPR."

In addition, the Central KPI also ensures that it does not intervene in the current legal process. He also said that he would ensure the focus of the victim's recovery.

"Basically we have carried out several stages, several processes have even included us, for example, helping the recovery process, including the treatment that has been carried out by the victim," concluded Mulyo.

*Read other information about HARASSMENT or read another interesting article from Ramdan Febrian Arifin.