KPAI: Sexual Violence in Pati Pesantren is an Extraordinary Crime
REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA – The Indonesian Child Protection Commission (KPAI) has once again spotlighted the repeated cases of sexual violence and rape affecting dozens of female students, this time occurring at a pesantren in Pati, Central Java. Ironically, this crime again involves the leadership or founder of the educational institution.
KPAI Deputy Chairman Jasra Putra assesses the string of cases with pesantren as the scene of the crime not merely as barbaric acts that can be addressed with mere concern, but as extraordinary crimes that must be handled seriously. “We can no longer use ordinary methods to respond to extraordinary crimes. If we look back, the existence of victims of past sexual crimes often becomes a mystery—what is their condition now? Promises of restitution often evaporate without news. This is our civilisation’s debt to Indonesian children that must be answered with real systemic overhaul,” said Jasra Putra when contacted by Republika on Wednesday (6/5/2026).
In the context of law enforcement, Jasra pushes for bolder breakthroughs. Learning from previous cases such as in Tasikmalaya, slow legal processes are seen as potentially weakening justice.
He also proposes the implementation of punishments that not only provide deterrence but also shock effects, including the seizure of perpetrators’ assets to break their economic power and power relations. Because even though the Sexual Violence Crime Law has been enacted, its implementation has not yet provided optimal protection for victims.
“So KPAI urges legal breakthroughs that not only provide deterrence but also shock effects for the public, including paralysing and seizing the wealth of perpetrators. Without the paralysis of assets and the cutting of power relations, compensation for victims will continue to be an ineffective instrument,” said Jasra.
In addition to legal aspects, he also highlights the importance of prevention through more effective data management. So far, many cases that emerge to the public are only a small portion of the actual incidents. Early symptoms are often ignored, so reports become passive data without follow-up.
For this reason, Jasra encourages the integration of a living data system that can function as a national early detection tool. With this system, the potential for violence in educational environments is hoped to be identified before it develops into major cases.
“KPAI encourages the integration of living data that triggers early detection alarms at the national level before crimes peak,” he said.
On the other hand, strengthening protection systems at the grassroots level is also a concern. KPAI assesses that children’s access to reporting is still very limited. Many educational institutions have not provided safe and accessible reporting mechanisms.
As a concrete step, KPAI plans to push for the provision of physical and digital complaint boxes in schools, pesantrens, up to the village level. This step is also accompanied by education for children to be brave in reporting and understand their position as victims who must be protected.
“This reporting access must be in the closest area to the child to break the silence. Because almost all incidents are revealed when the victim has graduated, or when the victims are many. This is terrifying, this is a civilisational debt,” said Jasra.
To support victim recovery, KPAI also proposes the optimisation of Zakat, Infak, and Sedekah (ZIS) funds. Considering that restitution or compensation from perpetrators is often difficult to realise, these social funds are seen as an alternative solution in fulfilling victims’ comprehensive recovery needs.
“Child victims of sexual violence have full rights to their future. Ensuring their future is intact again is the biggest homework for this country. Through paralysing the power of perpetrators, living early prevention at the grassroots, and ZIS support for recovery, we can rebuild a safe educational ecosystem and restore our children’s future,” said Jasra.