Society Urged Not to Normalise Harassment Disguised as Jokes

Jakarta (ANTARA) - The National Commission on Violence Against Women (Komnas Perempuan) is urging the public to be more sensitive and not to normalise violence against women, which is often wrapped in everyday jokes.

“How much violence actually occurs around us but escapes attention? We must be more honest in facing the reality that violence does not always appear in extreme and visible forms. It can be present in daily life, slow, repetitive, and often allowed to continue, and has long been considered normal; that is where it finds space to persist,” said Komnas Perempuan Chairwoman Maria Ulfah Anshor.

She made this statement at the Public Consultation on Komnas Perempuan’s 2025 Annual Report event titled “Safeguarding Direction in the Transition Period, Strengthening the Ecosystem Response to Eliminate Violence Against Women”, in Jakarta on Monday.

In many reported sexual violence cases, she said, perpetrators generally commit violence repeatedly against the same victim or other victims.

The commission also regrets the continued occurrence of sexual violence in higher education institutions.

Previously, gender-based online sexual violence occurred at the Faculty of Law, Universitas Indonesia, allegedly involving 16 students.

A similar case was uncovered at FTT IPB University involving 16 students.

Alleged sexual harassment occurred in digital conversation groups.

Meanwhile, Institut Teknologi Bandung (ITB) campus has come under public scrutiny following a song titled “Erika” sung by Mining Engineering students at ITB, with a video recording circulating widely on social media.

The song is considered to harass women.