GWS: Educational Institutions Should Provide Safe Digital Spaces

Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Chairwoman of Gerakan Wanita Sejahtera (GWS), Dr. Ir. Giwo Rubianto, M.Pd., stated that educational institutions should provide safe digital spaces, free from all forms of bullying and sexual harassment.

“Educational institutions should set the primary precedent for safe spaces free from all forms of exploitation. It is highly ironic and concerning if the dignity of the education world is tarnished by practices of sexual violence,” Giwo said in a press statement in Jakarta on Sunday.

Giwo emphasised that the academic environment should meet the highest ethical standards as a domain sterile from immoral acts such as sexual violence.

She stated that harassment and sexual violence are fundamental violations that have no room for tolerance in either domestic or public spheres.

According to her, using digital platforms in the campus environment to commit sexual harassment is a serious moral degradation.

She stressed the importance of consistent implementation of Ministerial Regulation on Education, Culture, Research, and Technology No. 30 of 2021 on the Prevention and Handling of Sexual Violence (PPKS) in Higher Education Environments.

This regulation mandates universities to address all forms of sexual violence, including verbal sexual harassment in digital spaces, and to assist and support victim recovery.

The regulation also empowers the PPKS Task Force to recommend severe sanctions for perpetrators to break the chain of violence.

“We must not allow digitalisation to be misused for negative purposes, especially violence within the campus world. Character education and supervision of the digital ecosystem in educational environments must be tightened to prevent such incidents from recurring,” said Giwo, who also serves as President of Business and Professional Women (BPW) Indonesia.