ITB Studium Generale: Educating the Dangers of Sexual Violence in Institutions
BANDUNG, itb.ac.id – Universities should be safe havens for everyone seeking to study and build supportive communities. Unfortunately, recent cases of sexual assault and harassment on campus have become a much-talked topic, raising fear and uneasiness among people. Not only do victims of these crimes find it difficult to search for support from authorities, but the punishment enforced is lacking and worsens the underlying issue.
The Studium Generale class held on Wednesday (25/1/2023) discussed the prevention of sexual violence with the title "Discussing the Regulations of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology 30/2021 Concerning Prevention and Handling of Sexual Violence in Institutions". Through this lecture, ITB hoped to take the initiative in preventing and addressing sexual violence cases to ensure a safe university. To do so, the class invited one of the ministry's staff, Paula Selpianti Litha Pasau, to talk about the matter.
What is Sexual Violence?
The written definition of sexual violence in Article 1 of the Ministerial Regulation of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology 30/2021 is stated as the following: sexual violence is all acts of degrading, insulting, violating, and assaulting the person's body and their reproduction function due to power and gender disparity. This results in psychological and physical suffering, including losing the person's reproductive health and the chance of experiencing a safe, optimal education.
Paula explained that victims often do not receive sufficient support and security, which are vital in their recovery. These people may undergo temporary paralysis or tonic immobility, unable to respond after the fear and trauma they went through.
"This condition often causes other parties to blame the victims for not resisting them. Moreover, the victims may blame themselves in regret for not fighting back during the committed act," she added. They may hesitate to report the case because they fear being falsely accused. This fear may turn for the worse, knowing the event happened without proof; the victims' inability to take a photograph or video recording puts them at a disadvantage in court. They are also afraid of being charged with defamation, especially when law enforcement often demands them to collect evidence. Victims are most likely unable to have solid evidence in the first place.
There are numerous myths and stigmas in communities that dissuade the protection of victims. One of these stigmas is the way the victims dress. Of 62224 respondents, 51% answered that the clothes they wore during the offense were modest. Another sad reality is that there are 1071 cases committed by people close to the victims- some of them are family members. The last stigma is the impossibility of sexual violence being committed toward males. Real-life cases have disproved this stigma, with 122 cases of a male being the victim in 2018.
According to the regulation, sexual violence induces long-term trauma and loss of academic and career opportunities for victims; therefore, such crimes must be taken seriously. Institutions where the violence took place must also face its repercussions.
"The prevention campaign of sexual violence is targeted towards students, teaching staff, non-teaching staff, and communities who often interact with academicians," said Paula.
In implementing this new law, all institutions and individuals must continuously participate in educating on preventing and handling sexual violence. Furthermore, they are encouraged to strengthen their management by facilitating reporting services on misconduct, supporting their communities on campus, limiting meet-ups with those outside campuses, and requiring written approval for allowing these meet-ups.
To implement all these actions, all universities must provide counseling, healthcare, advocacy, as well as social and spiritual guidance through a specialized task force.
Institutions must also protect their people from related threats. Imposing strict academic sanctions ranging from reprimands to heavy ones like the expulsion of the perpetrators must be implemented. Lastly, universities must prepare recovery programs for victims that comprise healthcare, physical and psychological therapy, as well as social and spiritual counseling based on their consent.
Information on preventing and handling sexual violence by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology can be accessed at https://merdekadarikekerasan.kemdikbud.go.id/ and their Instagram account (@cerdasberkarakter.kemdikbudri).
Reporter: Yoel Enrico Meiliano (Teknik Pangan, 2020)
Translator: Favian Aldilla R (Civil Engineering, 2019)
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