Teachers and Religious Instructors: The Perpetrators of Most Violence in Schools

Sexual violence frequently occurs in educational settings. This is reflected in reports to the National Commission on Violence Against Women (Komnas Perempuan), which show 50 complaints of sexual violence in educational institutions.

Teachers/religious instructors are the most frequently reported perpetrators, accounting for 22 cases. Komnas Perempuan's report mentions one victim who reported sexual harassment by a teacher.

This teacher exploited the victim's vulnerability due to two months of unpaid school fees. When the victim complained, the student affairs office and guidance counselor urged her to remain calm and not report the incident to her parents or guardians. They feared that the complaint would damage the school's reputation because the perpetrator was a trusted person of the headmaster.

After teachers/religious instructors, lecturers are the next most frequently reported perpetrators, with 10 cases recorded in the Komnas Perempuan report.

The reported cases are undoubtedly just the tip of the iceberg, as many cases of violence in educational settings go unreported. However, the number of reports indicates that the national education system must seriously prevent and address violence against women as part of eliminating discrimination against women.

For information, the government is currently striving to provide protection against sexual violence through Ministerial Regulation of Education and Culture Number 31 of 2021. However, this regulation remains controversial as it is considered to potentially legitimize casual sex.