“Sexual violence cases are revealed more often these days. These cases create a sense of worry and it happens, ironically, in the academic environment” Annisa said, in an event moderated by Gilang Irfan Anshori, a student of the Faculty of Social Development and Welfare UGM.
These kinds of discussions can facilitate the rise of awareness regarding sexual violence, especially in universities.
According to the speakers, the sexual violence cases in universities arose because of many factors such as a power relations imbalance, the lack of legal protection in universities, and the need to protect the reputation of a university which makes the victim’s demand for justice more difficult.
The existence of PERMENDIKBUDRISTEK 30/2021 and UGM Rector’s Regulation 1/2020 are prove of positive steps taken to create a safe space, free from sexual violence in the university.
Keeping in mind the need for awareness towards sexual violence cases, it makes sense that legal regulations needs to be supported by other actions that are more serious.
“Knowing that sexual violence cases can happen anywhere and to anyone, a sense of safety is direly needed by universities and the people in it. Therefore, it’s important that universities provide the best mechanism to protect victims” Arie said.
Sexual violence problems in universities need to be seen as a shared responsibility. In this case, a good university is not one that have zero sexual violence cases, but universities who have a responsive mechanism and is on the side of the victims when the sexual violence cases are revealed. That is why, starting from legal regulations, to an increase of socialization and education of sexual violence prevention, and also the management and recovery of sexual assault victims need to be implemented in a sustainable way, so that a safe space can be created for everyone in universities.