Thousands of Students Equipped with Methods to Protect Themselves from Sexual Violence
Thousands of students participating in the 2026 Nusantara Santri Scout Camp (PPSN VI) have been equipped with knowledge to protect themselves from risky sexual behaviour. During the event, students were encouraged to find the courage to refuse invitations leading to sinful acts and to report if they experience or witness suspected sexual misconduct.
This briefing was delivered through a rotation of basic knowledge sessions themed “Prevention of Risky Sexual Behaviour and LGBTQ” at the An-Nur 2 Bululawang Islamic Boarding School campsite in Malang, East Java. The activity took place over three days, from 3–5 October 2026, as a sub-activity of the PPSN VI organised by the Ministry of Religious Affairs (Kemenag).
Participants attended the material in rotating small groups. This pattern allowed each contingent to engage in direct dialogue with resource persons regarding self-protection, religious values, and the mechanisms for reporting grievances within the pesantren environment.
The Director of Pesantren Empowerment at the Directorate General of Pesantren, Kemenag, Yusi Damayanti, emphasised that a student’s obedience to anyone has its limits. According to her, there is no obligation to obey orders that contradict religious teachings.
“Islam strictly prohibits obedience in matters of sin. There is no obligation to obey a creation in matters that violate the commands of Allah. If there is an invitation or an order that leads to sinful acts, regardless of who it comes from, students have the right and the duty to refuse,” Yusi stated in a press release on Monday (5/10/2026).
The Head of the Staffing Sub-team at the Directorate General of Pesantren, Kemenag, Miftahul Huda, stated that a complete understanding of religion serves as a vital fortress in preventing risky sexual behaviour. He noted that religious values should not merely be understood as memorisation, but must serve as a guide for students in their conduct and interactions with others.
“Religious values are not just for memorisation, but are guidelines for behaviour. Students who understand the boundaries of Sharia will be better able to protect themselves from deviant and risky sexual behaviour,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Head of the Academic and Curriculum Sub-team at the Directorate General of Pesantren, Masitoh Hasby, reminded students not to remain silent when they encounter or experience such issues. She encouraged students to utilise available reporting channels, noting that the courage to report is part of the effort to create a safe pesantren environment.
“Students must not remain silent. If you see or experience risky sexual behaviour, report it through the available channels. Reporting is not about exposing shame, but is an effort to protect oneself and one’s peers,” she said.
The Head of the Student Affairs Sub-team at the Directorate General of Pesantren, Fadhly Azhar, added that sexual violence prevention education in pesantren can be strengthened through Islamic sexual education, or tarbiyah jinsiyah. He noted that this concept is not foreign to pesantren, as various materials regarding sexual education and social boundaries have long been discussed within the Islamic scholarly tradition studied by students.
“The books studied by students already cover thaharah (purification), signs of puberty, boundaries of aurat (modesty), etiquette of seeking permission, and the separation of sleeping quarters. That is *tarbiyah jinsiyah랄,” explained Fadhly.
Therefore, he stated, the materials found in these classical texts need to be integrated with sexual violence prevention education. This way, students can understand self-protection issues using language and references familiar to their daily lives.
“Our task is to integrate these turats (classical) doctrines into sexual violence prevention education, so that students can understand it using the language they know,” he added.
Through this briefing, students are expected not only to be able to protect themselves but also to help create a safe and child-friendly pesantren environment. The knowledge gained during the PPSN is expected to be brought back and applied in their respective boarding schools.
The PPSN VI 2026 took place from 30 September to 6 October 2026 at the An-Nur 2 Bululawang Islamic Boarding School campsite in Malang, involving student contingents from various provinces across Indonesia.