UNS — The Student Executive Board (BEM) Universitas Sebelas Maret (UNS) Surakarta officially opened the Women Crisis Center (WE-CARE) UNS on Tuesday (4/5/2021). WE-CARE UNS is established to provide advocacy for sexual assault cases or women-related cases. The service is open for both male and female sexual assault survivors. In communication with uns.ac.id on Tuesday (4/5/2021), the Minister of Women Empowerment BEM UNS and the founder of WE-CARE UNS, Nasyabila Amelia Wahyudi, explained the background of this new institution.
She explained that WE-CARE UNS is an answer for the rampant sexual assault cases on the campus that have caused high anxiety. She added that most sexual assault survivors are ashamed to come forward and look for help because they feel that their environment tends to blame their position. “The absence of a means to report sexual assaults make the victims stay quiet and the perpetrators to feel safe that their actions never received any repercussions, in terms of academic or legal sanction,” Nasyabila explained.
Managed by 15 people, WE-CARE UNS offers three services general service, psychological assistance, and legal assistance. The general services aim to provide first aid by listening to the victim’s stories under the confidential and humanist principle. The team then offers full assistance to solve the problem according to the victim’s request. If the victim is willing to get professional help, WE-CARE has a second service, psychological assistance, which will connect the victim with a psychologist in Medical Center UNS. The last service is legal assistance. If the victim wants legal action, WE-CARE will connect the victim with Legal Aid Consulting Institute (LKBH) FH UNS.
“The legal assistance provides an opportunity for the victim to consult on what legal actions need to be taken to solve their problems,” Amelia explained.
Suppose all of the assistance have not brought the expected result. In that case, BEM UNS will help the victim to get further psychological and legal aid from Badan Pemberdayaan Masyarakat, Perempuan, Perlindungan Anak, dan KB (the Agency for Community and Women Empowerment, Child Protection, and Family Planning) of Surakarta.
For the time being, WE-CARE UNS only provides services for UNS academic member victims and/or perpetrators and for cases that occur on the UNS campus.
Reporting Mechanism
UNS academic members who need WE-CARE UNS services could submit a report through the direct message (DM) Instagram to @ladiescorner.uns and @bemuns or contact 0888-0645-3759. The whistleblower will receive direct services from the contact person who acts as a listener or companion for the victim. Services will be adjusted to the victim’s decisions.
Nasyabila explained that the victim and whistleblower will be accompanied by the Ministry of Women Empowerment BEM UNS who will maintain the highest confidentiality during the case processing. She also hopes that the service will assist sexual assault survivors. “Both male and female, to solve their issues, and to create safe space from sexual assault in the campus,” she explained. Humas UNS
Reporter: Yefta Christopherus AS
Editor: Dwi Hastuti