IPB University Provides Support to Victims of Sexual Harassment
Rector of IPB University, Alim Setiawan Slamet, stated that the campus is providing support to the victims of sexual harassment carried out by 16 students from the Faculty of Engineering and Technology at IPB. According to Alim, since the case was reported on 14 April, IPB has adopted a victim-centred perspective, ensuring that the handling prioritises the interests of the survivors.
“Of course, we are providing support, recovery for the victims, psychological and so on,” said Alim after attending a working meeting with Commission X of the House of Representatives at the DPR Complex in Jakarta on Monday, 20 April 2026.
Currently, the 16 perpetrators who have been proven to have committed the harassment have been given a one-semester suspension. This was done after IPB University conducted summonses and examinations of the perpetrators.
Alim conveyed that the administrative sanction is under the authority of the Dean of FTT IPB University. He emphasised the importance of believing the victims’ experiences and standing by their side, including not questioning what caused the violent incident.
“We do not ask the victims to prove it, but we work hard to determine if the incident is indeed true based on the facts. If it is proven, the reported parties must take responsibility,” said Alim.
Alim fully entrusts the decision to the victims regarding whether to report it to the police or not. He believes that the campus’s authority is to process it in accordance with applicable regulations. “I think the most important thing is to protect the victims, be with the victims, and help them recover,” he said.
The alleged sexual harassment case involving 16 students occurred in a conversation group in 2024. IPB University claims it only received the report on 14 April 2026.
The alleged sexual violence came under public scrutiny after screenshots of the perpetrators’ conversations circulated widely on social media. The dozen students engaged in sexually toned and harassing conversations about the victims in an internal group on a messaging platform.