Making the Campus a Safe Space from Sexual Violence

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Public discourse in recent days has been dominated by the circulation of screenshots from a digital group chat allegedly involving several students at one university. The conversations contained sexually tinged content, including comments that demeaned and objectified women, triggering widespread condemnation on social media. The post quickly spread, reaching millions of users, transforming the issue from an internal matter into a public concern that has captured significant attention. The chronology began when the screenshots from the group chat were posted by an account on platform X in mid-April 2026. The post revealed several conversations deemed to exceed the bounds of propriety, even veering into verbal sexual harassment in the digital realm. Ironically, the group members are said to have been aware of the risks if their conversations were leaked, yet they continued similar communications. As the case went viral, several allegedly involved parties reportedly issued apologies. However, these responses have drawn criticism for failing to demonstrate a serious understanding of the impact of their actions. Meanwhile, the relevant educational institution has stated it is conducting a thorough investigation and verification, opening the possibility of ethical violations as well as criminal elements. This case serves as a reminder that digital spaces in the campus environment are not value-free zones. When conversations dismissed as “jokes” contain elements of dignity degradation and gender-based violence, the issue can no longer be viewed as trivial but as part of a serious problem in efforts to make the campus a safe space for the entire academic community. Digital Sexual Violence The advancement of digital technology has expanded the spectrum of sexual violence, no longer limited to physical acts but also present in non-physical and electronic forms. Sexually tinged conversations that demean, even if occurring in a digital space considered private, can essentially be classified as criminal acts. In this regard, Law No. 12 of 2022 on Sexual Violence Crimes (UU TPKS) explicitly recognises that non-physical sexual harassment is an act directed at a person’s body or sexuality with the intent to demean their dignity and honour, as regulated in Article 5. The UU TPKS also regulates electronic-based sexual violence, which includes acts of transmitting or disseminating sexually charged content without consent aimed at sexual gratification, as stipulated in Article 14 paragraph (1). Thus, excuses that the act occurred only in a “private space” or was merely a “joke” become irrelevant, as the law explicitly positions it as a punishable offence.