The Urgency of an Anti-Sexual Violence Curriculum

There is one irony that keeps repeating in our higher education spaces: campuses, which should be the safest spaces for the human mind and dignity, often become spaces of silence towards violence.

We diligently draft regulations, form task forces, and create guidelines.

However, we often fail to answer the most basic question: why does sexual violence continue to occur in the environment we call an “intellectual space”?

The answer is not simple, but one thing is becoming clear: we have relied too long on administrative approaches without touching the cultural roots.

It is at this point that the urgency of an anti-sexual violence curriculum finds its relevance.

This is no longer just a complement to policies, but a foundation for substantive change in the academic environment.

Normatively, the state has actually moved forward through Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology Regulation No. 30 of 2021, updated to No. 55 of 2024.

This regulation emphasises that campuses must become safe spaces through prevention, victim recovery, and the formation of task forces.

However, the issue now is no longer about the presence or absence of rules, but the gap between norms and practice. We have regulations, but not necessarily collective awareness.

Data shows that sexual violence in educational environments is not a sporadic phenomenon.

Internal ministry reports and the National Assessment indicate high potential for violence, while SIMFONI PPA data and Komnas Perempuan confirm the characteristics of cases that are often unreported (underreporting).

Many victims choose silence not because they do not want to speak out, but because they do not trust the system to protect them.

A culture of victim-blaming, fear of stigma, and imbalanced power relations make reporting a highly risky choice.

The power structures on campus create unequal relationships between lecturers and students or seniors and juniors.