Sexual Harassment Case at UI Law Faculty: DPR Member Calls for Legal Intervention to Create Deterrent Effect

Jakarta - Deputy Chair of DPR Commission X, MY Esti Wijayanti, has urged the university authorities to impose firm sanctions on 16 students from the Faculty of Law (FH) at Universitas Indonesia (UI) who perpetrated verbal sexual harassment against female students and lecturers. Esti added that the imposition of sanctions on the perpetrators should not be limited to internal university proceedings alone, considering the numerous victims of their actions. “Legal intervention is required to create a deterrent effect for the sake of justice for the victims and those harmed by this case,” Esti stated in her comments on Wednesday (15/4/2026). Esti also encouraged the resolution of this case using Law Number 12 of 2022 on Sexual Violence Crimes (UU TPKS). “And the perpetrators themselves are law students who should be more sensitive and aware of the legal consequences,” she remarked. She detailed that under the UU TPKS, sexual violence is categorised into several types of actions, including electronic-based sexual violence, with penalties of up to 4-6 years imprisonment and/or fines of up to Rp200-300 million. Therefore, Esti urged the victims to report this case to the criminal realm. “By implementing strict sanctions in accordance with the UU TPKS, we hope that society, particularly in academic environments, will not allow such incidents to recur,” she expressed. This PDI-P politician stated that universities in Indonesia must become safe spaces free from violence, including verbal and digital violence. Moreover, according to her, verbal violence can also cause prolonged trauma that affects the victims’ lives. “Alleged sexual harassment in digital spaces, including in university environments, is a serious issue that directly impacts the victims’ mental health and a safe psychosocial climate,” she explained. In addition, this Commission X DPR leader assessed that conversations leading to objectification and verbal violence are not merely ethical violations.