Studying Law but Breaking It? Sexual Harassment Case at UI Law Faculty Deemed "Very Fatal"

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com – The Indonesian Education Monitoring Network (JPPI) considers the alleged sexual harassment at the Faculty of Law, University of Indonesia, to be a very serious matter.

“In my view, what is particularly fatal is that this happened on campus, especially at the Faculty of Law, which should be legally aware,” said JPPI National Coordinator Ubaid Matraji when contacted on Tuesday (14/4/2026).

Ubaid assessed that the phenomenon indicates that the perpetrators, who study law, do not understand the substance and consequences of their actions.

Ubaid also evaluated that regulations on preventing sexual violence are not studied properly, particularly by the perpetrators.

“Thus, the case at UI, I see that it has happened in previous years as well. But why hasn’t it been stopped, with no improvements in the victim protection system and so on,” he said.

“It must be structured starting from campus leadership, with task forces at the central level down to the study programmes, in the departments,” Ubaid explained.

“So that there is a hotline that can be handled by the centre, and also one that can be voiced through the study programmes in the departments,” he continued.

He assessed that the prevalence of sexual violence cases in the education environment is also influenced by the power relations held by the perpetrators, so case handling often stops.

Previously, 16 students were alleged to have committed sexual violence against a female student at the Faculty of Law, University of Indonesia.

The allegation went viral on social media X on Monday (13/4/2026). The form of sexual violence was conversations leading to sexual matters in a social media group.

Chair of the Faculty of Law UI Student Executive Board (BEM) Anandaku Dimas Rumi Chattaristo confirmed the incident.

Dimas said the case came to light when the 16 students suddenly apologised in the class group.

“The apology was conveyed by the 16 perpetrators. And for their status, they all admit their actions,” Dimas said when contacted by Kompas.com on Monday.

“So actually, for us, there is already their admission; they are perpetrators, no longer alleged perpetrators,” he emphasised.