Recurring Cycle of Sexual Violence in Islamic Boarding Schools

Ashari alias Asyhari bin Karsana, the founder of Pondok Pesantren Tahfidzul Qur’an Ndholo Kusumo, raped Ratna—not her real name. In her still profound trauma, Ratna hopes the legal process will proceed seriously, transparently, and without interruption midway.

For Ratna, resolving this case is an effort to prevent other victims. Additionally, it aims to provide more serious anticipation and protection for the victims.

“I hope after this the case proceeds quickly and thoroughly,” Ratna told detikX.

The rape case was actually reported in 2024. However, it was only in May 2026 that the perpetrator was apprehended and secured. Deputy Head of the Criminal Investigation Unit of Pati Police Resort, Ajun Commissioner Iswantoro, explained that the lengthy process was due to obstacles in gathering statements from witnesses and victims.

The investigators, he said, have attempted to obtain statements from the pesantren’s surrounding environment. However, according to him, most parties aware of the incident are still children and thus cannot be optimally questioned without parental consent.

“So, if we summon them, their parents might not allow it,” Iswantoro told detikX.

He also confirmed that one witness who previously provided a statement later withdrew the complaint. That witness is still a minor.

Efforts related to processing the crime scene at the pesantren also faced obstacles due to rejections in early 2025. This was revealed by the Head of the Regional Technical Implementation Unit for Women and Child Protection in Pati Regency, Hartono.

Additionally, the victim’s legal counsel, Ali Yusron, mentioned attempts to approach with monetary compensation to withdraw the legal case involving minors.

Ali revealed that the reported party allegedly first approached the victim’s family before trying to communicate with him. Ali stated the offer amounted to Rp 400 million. However, both he and the victim’s family rejected it.

Ali acknowledged that the legal process, now finally moving faster, is inseparable from public pressure. According to him, public attention and various on-the-ground demonstrations have pushed for broader handling of the case.

Over the past two years, the Aspirasi Aliansi Santri Pati has actively conducted demonstrations to urge this case into the legal process.

Appearance of the suspect Ashyari during his arrest and escort to Pati Police Resort, Thursday (7/5/2026).

Photo: Dian Utoro Aji/detikJateng

“If there wasn’t Cak Ulil (Coordinator of Aspirasi Aliansi Santri Pati), it wouldn’t have worked either. Even if we went at it alone, it would be overwhelming,” Ali told detikX.

In his statement, Ali also mentioned that before this case truly opened up, many parties were not yet brave enough to speak out. He described the victims as being in a situation of fear and strong power relations within the pesantren environment.

Regarding the construction of the events, he explained that the perpetrator allegedly used spiritual relations and religious authority approaches to build compliance among the students.

“The indoctrination is in the name of the tariqa… saint of God,” he said.

Ali also claimed that the number of recorded victims is still developing, although in the case file the numbers vary. He stated that the process of collecting victim data is still ongoing.

Now, as a result of the incident, the Ministry of Religious Affairs has halted the operational activities of Pondok Pesantren Ndholo Kusumo in Tlogosari Village, Tlogowungu Subdistrict, Pati Regency, Central Java.

“Alhamdulillah, on the 5th (May) yesterday, the operational permit for the pesantren has been revoked,” said the Head of the Pati Regency Ministry of Religious Affairs, Ahmad Syaiku, during a press conference at Pati Police Resort, Thursday (7/5/2026).

In addition to revoking the permit, the Ministry of Religious Affairs has repatriated all students who previously studied at the pesantren. A total of 252 students from various education levels, from RA, MI, MTs, to MA, have been affected by this policy.

Emergency Alarm for Sexual Violence in Pesantren

For the Indonesian Child Protection Commission, this case is not merely an individual sexual crime, but an accumulation of imbalanced power relations, weak supervision, and the absence of adequate child-rearing systems.

Vice Chairman of KPAI, Jasra Putra, stated that the aggravating factors in this case have been met. Victims number more than three, they experience psychological trauma, and some are pregnant and do not want to care for the child born.

“In the latest 2017 revision of the Child Protection Law, it is stated that if there are more than three victims, the child experiences mental disorders, especially since this leads to pregnancy, and especially later when born they do not want to care for it, these are actually sufficient aggravating elements,” Jasra explained to detikX.

According to Jasra, the pattern of violence that occurred shows the characteristics of a sexual predator. The caregiver’s role, which should be protective, instead exploits children in dependent situations.

“Children whom he should be responsible for caring for, protecting, acting as a parental substitute, but instead does improper actions,” he said.

He assessed that the orientation of religious education has been deviated into a space for control and manipulation. Therefore, resolving the case cannot stop at maximum punishment for the perpetrator.

KPAI views this case as similar to the Herry Wirawan case in Bandung a few years ago. The victims are similarly from vulnerable groups, living in strong power relations, and under the influence of religious interpretations exploited by the perpetrator.

“This case is actually very similar to the HW perpetrator in Bandung, where there were 9 victims, the children also from poor families, certain verses too, and even resulting in having a child,” he revealed.

For Jasra, the root problem in pesantren cannot be separated from the closed child-rearing pattern for 24 hours. When caregivers lack child protection capacity, power relations easily turn into tools of violence.

“If the inter