Alleged Sexual Harassment in Unesa Group Chat Affects 26 Students and Lecturers

A case of alleged sexual harassment via a group chat has surfaced at Surabaya State University (Unesa) in East Java, with 26 students and lecturers reported as victims. Tegar Eka Pambudi El Akhsan, Chair of the Student Deliberative Body (DPM) of the Vocational Faculty, stated that the report was initially received on 1 July 2026 from a staff member. The case had previously been reported to the Study Programme Student Association (HMP), which attempted to resolve the matter internally before the DPM took over coordination and support.

The incident came to light when a victim was asked by a suspected perpetrator to use the latter’s mobile phone to contact a colleague. The victim noticed a notification from a group chat containing allegedly unethical messages. Upon opening the group without the owner’s knowledge, the victim discovered numerous messages with suspected harassing content and documented the evidence. The group chat was initially created to discuss competition activities but was later used for inappropriate conversations.

The group consisted of six students with the initials RY, HA, AD, RE, JO, and DO. Two members, JO and DO, came forward to the DPM on 1 July 2026, stating they could no longer tolerate their colleagues’ behaviour. The number of identified victims initially stood at nine, including two lecturers, but rose to 19 by 5-6 July and reached 26 by 13 July, comprising 22 students and four lecturers. The alleged harassment included verbal abuse, fantasy-based objectification, and the creation of unethical content using artificial intelligence.

A mediation attempt at the faculty level resulted in the case being escalated to the university’s Directorate for Prevention and Management of Strategic Issues (PPIS). On 13 July 2026, all six individuals were questioned by the PPIS. Initial verification cleared RE, JO, and DO of being perpetrators, while HA, RY, and AD faced sanctions, including making a video apology to their parents. The DPM noted that a decision on whether to expel the three sanctioned students has not yet been made, and further action from the PPIS is required. Vinda Maya Setianingrum, Unesa’s Director of Public Relations, confirmed the case is being handled and that involved parties are being summoned.