Udayana University Bali Sets Sexual Violence Task Force

TheIndonesia.id - Sexual violence cases allegedly occurred in the Udayana University (Unud), Bali. The case revealed was based on a report by the Indonesian Women's Union (Seruni) Bali. It said 29 female students reported being victims of sexual violence.

There had been 29 complaints of alleged sexual violence by Unud students until October 2021. A total of 29 victims spread across 13 faculties, the Faculty of Cultural Sciences (13 people), the Faculty of Marine and Fisheries (5 people), the Faculty of Law (2 people), the Faculty of Veterinary (2 people), and the Faculty of Economics and Business (2 people).

In addition, there is one person each from the Faculty of Agriculture, the Faculty of Animal Science, the Faculty of Agricultural Technology, and the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences.

In response to these cases, the chancellor of Udayana University stated that he would form a special task force to prevent and handle sexual violence cases.

The formation of the special task force is part of the university's steps to follow up the ministerial regulation No. 30/2021 on the Prevention and Handling of Sexual Violence at Higher Education Institution.

"We will follow up the regulation by making chancellor regulations and forming a task force to handle the sexual harassment on campus," said Udayana University Chancellor, I Nyoman Gede Antara to Antara, Monday, November 22, 2021.

The task force will consist of lecturers, students, and university employees who passed the selection. The selection is made to ensure that the member can carry out their duties independently.

He added that the task force is obliged to disseminate regulations and carry out efforts to prevent sexual violence in the university.

"This task force will disseminate that there will be severe sanctions for the perpetrator. Secondly, the task force will encourage the victim to report the case," he said.

In addition, this task force will also assist the victims in overseeing legal processes. Besides, the task force will submit reports on sexual harassment and violence cases that occur on campus.

"If one day there is a person in Udayana University that tries to hide the case - resolve the case by kinship, the task force can immediately report to the ministry so the ministry can take over this case," he said.

Gede Antara also promised that he would take it seriously to enforce campus security.

"We hope that the students can learn safe and sound, without any threat," he said.

Ministry Issues Regulation to Prevent Sexual Violence in Universities

The Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology issued a ministerial regulation on the Prevention and Handling of Sexual Violence at Higher Education Institution. The Ministry’s Regulation No. 30/2021 seeks to eradicate sexual violence cases that occur at higher education institutions.

National figures have expressed their agreement on the issuance of this regulation since reports of sexual assault and violence in universities remain high. It’s seen as a solid legal basis for victims and law enforcers to make reports and bring the perpetrators to justice.
Renowned Muslim cleric KH Husein Muhammad, or more famously known as Buya Husein, said he fully supported the regulation and asked concerning institutions to massively educate the public about the points stipulated.

“[The regulation] must be disseminated massively and continuously to educators and students,” Husein said on Tuesday, 9 November 2021.

Law Professor at Airlangga University Basuki Rekso Wibowo also stated that it should be easier for universities to process sexual violence reports and take action on it upon this issuance.

“Higher education institutions are able to start legal proceedings against sexual violence perpetrators,” Wibowo explained.

The National Commission for Women previously revealed that between 2015 and 2020, 27 percent of sexual violence cases reported in educational institutions happened in universities. A survey conducted by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology in 2019 that looked into places where sexual harassments often occur also placed campuses in third position (15 percent), after streets (33 percent), and public transportation (19 percent).

The ministerial regulation, therefore, is expected to create a safer and conducive environment for students to learn and develop more skills.