Top Indonesian university suspends 16 law students over alleged\nsexual harassment<\/p>\n
The case went viral after screenshots of vulgar remarks and sexually\nexplicit jokes targeting at least 20 female students and seven\nlecturers, allegedly from a student chat group, were shared online.<\/p>\n
JAKARTA: A top university in Indonesia has suspended 16 law students\nover alleged sexual harassment, with the government on Wednesday (Apr\n15) pledging zero tolerance for all forms of violence on campus.<\/p>\n
The case involving students from the University of Indonesia (UI) has\ngone viral online and placed the institution under growing public\npressure and scrutiny, according to local media reports.<\/p>\n
At least 20 students and seven lecturers were targeted in a student\nchat group containing inappropriate content, according to a legal\nrepresentative of several purported victims, local media reported.<\/p>\n
Screenshots of alleged conversations in the group trended on social\nmedia platform X on Sunday, showing messages that included vulgar\nremarks, sexually explicit jokes and the objectification of female\nstudents and lecturers, according to news outlet The Jakarta Post.<\/p>\n
The 16 alleged perpetrators have been suspended from Apr 15 to May 30\nthis year, according to news outlet Tempo. During this period, they are\nbarred from participating in all academic activities, including\nlectures.<\/p>\n
They are also not allowed to be on campus premises except for\ninvestigation-related purposes conducted by the university\u2019s Violence\nPrevention and Handling Task Force, or urgent matters supervised by the\nuniversity.<\/p>\n
The university said it is closely monitoring the situation to prevent\nany direct or indirect interaction between the alleged perpetrators and\nvictims or witnesses during the investigation process.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis step is taken as part of the university\u2019s commitment to ensure\nthat investigations are carried out objectively, to protect all parties\ninvolved and maintain a conducive academic environment,\u201d said Erwin\nAgustian Panigoro, director of public relations, media, government and\ninternational relations at UI on Wednesday, as quoted by Tempo.<\/p>\n
Indonesia\u2019s Higher Education, Science and Technology Minister Brian\nYuliarto said universities must ensure an environment that is safe,\ninclusive and free from all forms of violence.<\/p>\n
\u201cAny act that degrades human dignity is a serious violation and must\nbe handled earnestly, fairly and with a focus on protecting victims,\u201d\nsaid Brian, as quoted by Kompas.<\/p>\n
\u201cI have coordinated with the rector and we continue to monitor the\nprogress of this case, including ensuring that victims receive proper\nprotection and assistance.\u201d<\/p>\n
He added that his ministry has coordinated with the UI rector and\nwill continue monitoring the case.<\/p>\n
The prevention and handling of violence in higher education, which\ncovers physical, verbal, psychological and sexual violence, as well as\nbullying, discrimination and intolerance, is addressed under the\ngovernment\u2019s Ministerial Regulation No.\u00a055\/2024.<\/p>\n
This regulation requires all universities to establish a Task Force\nfor the Prevention and Handling of Violence in Higher Education and to\nensure victim protection. Any criminal elements, if found, will be\nprocessed under Indonesia\u2019s Sexual Violence Crime Law, according to\nJakarta Globe.<\/p>\n
The ministry said it is overseeing the university\u2019s task force and\npushing for transparency in the investigation.<\/p>\n
Women\u2019s Empowerment and Child Protection Minister Arifatul Choifi\nFauzi has also condemned the incident and vowed to ensure the university\nhandles the case transparently and without interference, Jakarta Post\nreported.<\/p>\n
The case has prompted other students in the university to hold a\nstudent forum earlier this week at the UI\u2019s campus in Depok, on the\noutskirts of Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Social media clips circulating showed enraged students demanding an\napology from the 16 alleged perpetrators, some of whom are officials at\nstudent organisations, reported Jakarta Post.<\/p>\n
Videos of the alleged offenders appearing at a campus auditorium to\nissue an apology went viral.<\/p>\n
The university\u2019s student union on Tuesday called for their expulsion\nwhile urging the university to \u201cfully investigate all unresolved sexual\nviolence cases\u201d at UI.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, education watchdog the Network for Education Watch\nIndonesia (JPPI) recorded 233 cases of violence in schools, universities\nand other educational institutions this year, nearly half of which\ninvolved sexual violence, local media reported.<\/p>\n
Most incidents had occurred in schools and 11 per cent were reported\nin universities.<\/p>\n
JPPI spokesperson Ubaid Matraji said on Wednesday that the\npersistence of sexual violence on campuses is a crisis reflecting\nsystemic failure to ensure educational institutions are safe for\nstudents.<\/p>\n
Ubaid called for mandatory gender and sexual education in the\nuniversity curriculum, citing insufficient preventive measures from\nuniversities\u2019 anti-sexual violence task forces which, he said, often\nprioritise institutional reputation over victim safety.<\/p>\n
\u201cExisting regulations may look good on paper but the implementations\nare toothless,\u201d he reportedly said.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/top-indonesian-university-suspends-16-law-students-over-alleged-sexual-harassment-1776325866", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }