Judge at Larantuka District Court Highlights Power Dynamics in School Sexual Violence Cases

The District Court (PN) Larantuka in East Flores District, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) held an awareness session on sexual violence prevention and legal protection at Senior Secondary School 1 Larantuka on Thursday, 26 February 2026. Judge Reja El Hakim from PN Larantuka highlighted power dynamics in several cases of sexual violence against children.

Within educational settings, misuse of power relationships can occur when teachers and coaches abuse their position over students, or when senior students exploit junior students. “Perpetrators will exploit their position to pressure, give money or gifts to coerce victims,” said Reja during the awareness session.

Reja explained that sexual violence is not limited to physical forms but also includes non-physical manifestations, such as sending indecent videos and threatening to distribute such material.

“Never engage in sexual bullying. When there is a school case and the school covers it up to protect the school’s reputation, this is wrong,” he added.

Reja also emphasised that there is no restorative justice or mediation process in the legal proceedings for perpetrators of violence against children.

“There is no restorative justice mechanism for sexual violence perpetrators,” Reja stated during the session.

Maria Rosdiyanti Servina Maranda, Head of PN Larantuka, revealed that cases of sexual violence against children increase every year in East Flores District. “We are attempting to minimise cases of child-related criminal offences,” she said.

Meanwhile, Deputy Head of Public Relations at Senior Secondary School 1 Larantuka, Sil Witin, said the awareness session on sexual violence and legal protection represented a preventive step to discourage sexual violations in the school environment.

“Our hope is that we must collaborate on this sexual violence issue going forward. This is a fact and reality that frequently occurs in this school,” he stressed.