NTB DPRD Reminds Police Not To Play In Investigating Harassment Of 10 College Students With The Lure Of Current Thesis

Chairman of the West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) DPRD, Baiq Isvie Rupaeda. ANTARA/Nur Imansyah

MATARAM - West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) DPRD chairman Baiq Isvie Rupaeda urged the police to thoroughly investigate the case of alleged sexual harassment of 10 female students by a 65-year-old fake lecturer in Mataram City.

"This must be thoroughly investigated and given an appropriate punishment according to his actions," said Isvie, quoted by Antara, Thursday, June 30.

This DPRD member from the Electoral District (Dapil) of East Lombok Regency admitted that he deeply regrets that cases of harassment against women continue to be repeated in NTB.

"So, we can't play around with this anymore. Because this concerns the dignity of women, it concerns the future of women, it concerns aspects of the prevailing norms," he said.

Therefore, looking at the cases that befell the 10 female students, Isvie considers what the perpetrators did was an extraordinary crime violation.

"I think this should be punished severely. Because it has tarnished the world of education, especially since this fake lecturer uses a fake title," said the woman who is also a women's activist in NTB.

"Obviously this is damaging, especially in our area where there are a thousand mosques which are very extraordinary," continued Isvie.

To avoid such cases from happening again, Isvie asked educational institutions in this case universities in NTB to make rules prohibiting lecturers from serving thesis consultations at home other than on campus or outside working hours as lecturers on campus.

"I appeal to female students not to be carried away and never to go to the lecturer's house. Consultation on assignments or thesis should be on campus or working hours not at the lecturer's house," said Isvie.

"Likewise, lecturers may not accept or invite consultations at home. Do it on campus. If these practices are allowed, this is already wrong. So firmly, there should be no consultation at home," he said.

Actor mode

The case of alleged sexual harassment experienced by 10 female students came from a report from the Legal Aid and Consultation Bureau Team (BKBH) of the Faculty of Law, University of Mataram (Unram).

Director of BKBH Faculty of Law Unram Joko Jumadi revealed that the reported person in this allegation was a 65-year-old man from Lombok.

"Let's say he (reported) is Mister X," said Joko.

BKBH reported Mister X's actions to the NTB Police in March 2022. In the report, BKBH also attached an explanation regarding Mister X's mode of sexual harassment against the victim.

"Mister X claims to have the power to lobby, help victims who want to go to college, and complete their thesis," he said.

As payment if he graduated from college and the thesis went smoothly, Joko explained, Mister X asked the victim to serve his sexual desires.

"So from the mode he runs, there are already at least five female students he 'sleep' with," he said.

According to BKBH records from the confessions of 10 victims, Mister X has been running this mode from October 2021 to March 2022.

"March 2022 it stopped because we reported it," said Joko.

Joko emphasized that his party supports the police in handling this case to completion. He hopes that the police will be able to reveal the truth of the actions accused of Mister X.