Ministry Of Religion Monitors Schools Suspected Of Cases Of Sexual Harassment

Illustration (Pixabay)

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Religion has drawn up strategic steps to prevent cases of violence and sexual harassment in religious education institutions. Minister of Religion Yaqut Cholil Qoumas explained that his ministry will take three steps.

The first step is to conduct investigations in all educational units from the madrasa level to religious colleges.

"I have ordered the ranks to investigate schools like this, these boardings, which we signal about similar violations, sexual violence, sexual harassment, and so on," said the Minister of Religion in a written statement received in Jakarta, Tuesday 14 December.

The second step is to collaborate with the Indonesian Child Protection Commission (KPAI), the police, and other related parties in handling issues of violence and sexual harassment, including in the investigation process.

The Minister of Religion admitted that he was worried that cases of sexual harassment that had recently surfaced in educational institutions were an iceberg phenomenon that had not been revealed due to various factors.

"We want to solve this. Hopefully there will be no more cases. We ask for support, we can solve this problem quickly. This is not only detrimental to Islam, but also the children who are victims and their families, very sorry," he said. .

Finally, the Ministry of Religion will improve the procedures for granting operational permits for religious education institutions. The Minister of Religion underlined the importance of tightening the implementation of verification and validation before issuing recommendations.

"So the recommendations that appear from the Ministry of Religion are only in the form of paper. Recommendations must be based on the results of verification and field validation. So the officers must come to see, witness, then issue permit recommendations," he said.

Meanwhile, Deputy Minister of Religion Zainut Tauhid Sa'adi asked the public, especially students and students, to be brave enough to report being victims of sexual violence.

"Hopefully similar cases don't happen again. Encourage victims to be brave enough to report any suspicious or untrue actions from elements, whoever it is," said Zainut.