TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology (Kemendikbudristek) urged university leaders to immediately establish a task force on the prevention and handling of sexual violence as mandated in the Ministerial Regulation No. 30 of 2021.

"So that our campuses will be safer and more comfortable learning place to realize Merdeka Belajar [the ministry's program of freedom to learn]," said Nizam as the Acting Director-General of Higher Education, Research, and Technology in a written statement on Monday, November 8, 2021.

Nizam said the Ministerial Regulation No. 30 of 2021 was passed as the government's first measure in responding to the concerns of students, lecturers, university leaders, and the public regarding the increasing number of sexual assault cases at campuses.

Besides, the regulation can assist university leaders in taking further action to prevent the recurrence of sexual assault that is currently rising the academic community.

According to Nizam, several organizations and student representatives voiced concerns and studies on sexual harassment that occurred in the university that was not followed up by the university administrators. "Most of them are afraid to file a report, and such incidents are traumatizing for the victims. This is why this regulation is urgent to be issued," Nizam said.

Nizam hoped that the legal certainty would boost the confidence of university leaders to take firm action against academians who commit sexual violence.

DEWI NURITA