UNS — Wedangan Alumni Association Universitas Sebelas Maret (IKA UNS) Seri 89 returned with a hot topic on ‘Zero Tolerance for Sexual Violence’ in an online discussion to celebrate Mother’s Day on Wednesday (22/12/21).
The sexual violence issue received a significant highlight recently. The National Commission (Komnas) for Women data recorded that in 2021 there was a decrease of sexual violence in Indonesia, but still considerably high, occurring both in the community and in the campus environment. Wedangan IKA UNS Seri 89 was concerned with the report and invited five speakers to discuss the issue: Prof. Dr. Ismi Dwi Astuti N, M.Si., Dr. Eva Agustinawati, S.Sos., M.Si., Dr. Agus Riewanto, S.H., C.L.A., Ravika Nur Kusumawati, S.Psi., M.A., and Siti Dariyatini, S.Sos., M.M., who come from UNS academic member and Surakarta City Board.
The discussion was opened with a remark from Vice-Rector for Academic and Student Affairs UNS, Prof. Ahmad Yunus, who shared that UNS has established a team to prevent sexual violence on the campus. The team consists of students and several faculty members in UNS under the coordination of the Vice-Rector for Management and Human Resources Affairs. “Hopefully, this team could follow up any sexual violence that occurs on the campus and make UNS a campus that frees from sexual violence,” Prof. Yunus stated. Prof. Yunus also mentioned that UNS also has a prevention and evaluation team and has declared its campus as an anti-violence campus.
The Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology (Kemendikbudristek) has also issued Minister of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology Decree (Permendikbudristek) No. 30 of 2021 regarding the Prevention and Handling of Sexual Violence in Higher Education as a follow up for the rampant sexual cases that occurred at the university. Prof. Ismi, the expert of gender UNS and the Dean of Faculty of Social and Political Sciences (FISIP) UNS, stated that Permendikbudristek No. 30 of 2021 could provide a legal basis for punishing sexual violence that occurs on the campus and building awareness on sexual violence.
“It provides legal basis because not everyone has the ability to support the victim, and oftentimes, sexual violence is considered to be something usual to be experienced by women,” Prof. Ismi stated.
The Chief of Population and Gender Research Study Center (PPKG) Institute for Research and Community Services (LPPM) UNS, Dr. Eva Agustinawati, S.Sos., M.Si, emphasized that eliminating sexual violence cannot be done by one party. Collaboration among various parties is needed to solve sexual violence cases. Legal assistance, education on prevention is all needed, and UNS has provided socialization on sexual violence and gender and power relations. “Because sexual violence is based on gender and power relations, we need to build a system that could run the campus,” Dr. Eva added. She also added that in the future, PPKG wants to collaborate with UNS Hospital and Technical Unit for Women and Children Integrated Services Unit (UPT PTPA) Surakarta in assisting sexual violence victims.
“Most importantly are students. Students are the vanguard in preventing and handling these cases. We want to create a safe and comfortable campus,” Dr. Eva concluded.
Currently, PPKG LPPM UNS has initiated collaboration with Dr. Agus Riewanto, S.H., C.L.A., as the Director of Institute for Legal Consulting and Assistance (LKBH) Faculty of Law (FH) UNS and Ravika Nur Kusumawati, S.Psi., M.A., as a psychologist. Humas UNS
Reporter: Alinda Hardiantoro
Editor: Dwi Hastuti