Viral Harassment Using Doll Content Tactic in Surabaya, Police Intervene
The Surabaya City Police (Polrestabes Surabaya) are currently investigating allegations of sexual harassment disguised as doll-themed video content creation, targeting women in the Jalan Tunjungan area, Surabaya.
The case went viral on social media after one of the victims, identified by the initials AS, shared her distressing experience online. The incident involving AS and her friend occurred around midnight on 5 August 2026. While walking towards the parking area in the Jalan Tunjungan district, they were approached by two men who invited them to participate in a short video content shoot.
“They said, ‘Hello, would you like to be in our content? It’s just a 20-second video, at most. The content involves a doll; we’ll high-five, and then I’ll give you the doll’,” AS explained when describing the perpetrators’ modus operandi on Tuesday (22/9).
Although AS initially refused, her friend felt uncomfortable and eventually agreed to the invitation. AS, who attempted to prevent her friend from participating, was also pulled into the camera frame.
AS then detailed the strange instructions given by the group of men during the recording. In the video, they were given dolls and instructed to hold the tails. It was at this point that the alleged harassment occurred.
“High-fiving, giving the dolls, being told to look at the doll’s tail, being told to hold the tail, laughing, and throwing them to one another,” she recounted.
Feeling uncomfortable, AS shared her experience on the social media platform Threads. It appeared that many other victims had also reported being treated in a similar manner.
Responding to the public outcry, the Head of the Women and Children Protection Unit (PPA) of the Surabaya City Police Criminal Investigation Unit, AKBP Melatisari, confirmed that the police are looking into the case.
“We are re-checking the matter,” said Melatisari.
Melatisari also urged citizens to be more cautious when in public spaces and not to hesitate to report suspicious activities to the authorities.
“Be more careful with yourselves and your surroundings, and increase vigilance against any form of behaviour that leads to violence or sexual harassment. Report it if you become aware of such things,” she stated.
As the police investigation proceeds, the content creator behind the video has finally come forward. The owner of the TikTok and YouTube account @takimofficial08 sent a direct message of apology to AS.
“I simply want to convey my deepest apologies to the person I invited to participate in the doll content. With full awareness and sincerity, I truly want to apologise to all parties, and especially to the person who felt disturbed, harmed, and even harassed by me,” the creator wrote in a message to AS.
The account owner claimed there was no intention to demean anyone during the creation of the content. They also promised to take this as a lesson and pledged not to produce videos with similar themes in the future.
“I am also committed to not repeating such content concepts in the future. I will use this incident as a learning experience so that I can create better content moving forward,” they said.
“Once again, I sincerely and consciously apologise to you and everyone whom I cannot mention one by one. I truly appreciate your help and understanding. Once again, I sincerely apologise for the incident that occurred,” they added.
Although she has personally forgiven the creator, AS has chosen not to remove her viral post as a form of public oversight and a warning to other women.
“Personally, I have forgiven the perpetrator. However, I cannot delete the previous post yet because I want to ensure first that they are truly no longer producing such content in the Jalan Tunjungan area,” she said.