UNAIR NEWS – LPM Situs FIB UNAIR held a webinar regarding the problem of sexual violence on campus, which remains a hot topic of discussion, on Saturday, October 23, 2021. The speakers were invited from two elements of the FH UNAIR academic community. From the lecturer element, there was Law and Gender Expert, Dwi Rahayu Kristianti, S.H., M.A., while from the student element, there was Alliance Coordinator of UNAIR Sexual Violence Emergency on Campus (KDKS), Apriska Widiangela.
Yeyen, as the expert familiarly called, emphasized that sexual violence on campus is a significant problem. She was once a victim while teaching at FH UNAIR, where the perpetrators often stalked her and hunted for her personal data. Yeyen explained that victims or survivors of sexual violence on campus have lower power relations with perpetrators. A typical example is students being harassed by lecturers. This is the reason why victims are often reluctant or afraid to speak up.
“The response that is often received regarding this problem is that victims must be more careful and be alert to sexual violence. This logic is reversed. Why should the victim be careful? Why not the perpetrator who is prohibited from committing sexual violence?” said the alumnus of Flinders University.
Moreover, this problem is exacerbated by the Indonesian legal system which still lacks a victim perspective. Yeyen noted that the KUHP (Criminal Code) from the colonial period only recognizes limited types of sexual violence and degrades sexual violence as a violation of moral norms. The lex specialis or the RUU PKS (Sexual Violence Bill) is also still stalled in the DPR (House of Representatives) until now.
Angel, the FH student, said that the problem of sexual violence on campus is unstoppable because there are no strict university regulations which require a victim perspective. According to tirto.id, Angel said that there are around 174 cases of sexual violence on campus spread across 79 universities.
“What needs to be emphasized here is that one victim is already a lot. Due to obstacles such as victim blaming and power relations, victims are often afraid or confused about where to report. This is where the KDKS alliance comes in to absorb as many public aspirations as possible regarding this problem,” said the Committee Coordinator of the UNAIR Amnesty PAKG.
According to Angel, students and their organizations must play an active and progressive role as agents of change in various old-fashioned paradigms and legal systems to fight sexual violence on campus. She also emphasized that the KDKS alliance has the ultimate goal of encouraging the UNAIR Rector to immediately formulate and ratify regulations related to sexual violence in UNAIR.
“KDKS is not just making a fuss on social media. This alliance operates on a scientific basis such as surveys, scientific studies, and also FGDs,” concluded the student from class of 2019.
Author: Pradnya Wicaksana
Editor: Nuri Hermawan
