TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Minister of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology, Nadiem Makarim, said the issuance of the ministerial regulation No. 30 of 2021 (Permendikbud 30) on the prevention and handling of sexual violence in higher education is due to the emergency situation on such cases at universities.

"We can say that it is an emergency situation. We are not only facing the COVID-19 pandemic, but also a sexual violence pandemic," said Nadiem in an online discussion on Friday, November 12.

Nadiem cited that based on Komnas Perempuan's data throughout 2015-2020, 27 percent of reports related to sexual assaults from educational institutions came from universities.

The ministry's survey in 2020 also stated that 77 percent of lecturers claimed there were sexual assault cases on campus and 63 percent of them were not reported to the campus. The majority of victims were women.

"This is an iceberg phenomenon. That's the reason we have to take a position as the government to protect students," said Nadiem.

Nadiem Makarim argued there had been a legal vacuum in the prevention, handling, and protection of victims of sexual violence on campus thus far. Permendikbud 30 was expected to provide legal certainty for university leaders to take firm steps in cracking down on sexual violence cases on campus.

Read: Religious Affairs Minister Advocates Anti-Sexual Violence Regulation

DEWI NURITA