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'It’s time to be firm': Nadiem defends decree on tackling sexual violence on campuses
Education, Culture, Research and Technology Minister Nadiem Makarim has defended a regulation he recently signed aimed at tackling sexual violence at universities following pushbacks from Islamic groups.
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Education up-close: Education, Culture, Research and Technology Minister Nadiem Makarim (left, on screen) speaks during a Jakpost Up Close webinar, themed “Educating the nation: 2020 — 2045”, in Jakarta on Wednesday. (JP/Wienda Parwitasari)
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ducation, Culture, Research and Technology Minister Nadiem Makarim has defended a regulation he recently signed aimed at tackling sexual violence at universities following pushback from Islamic groups, which have called for the revocation of the regulation over concerns that it could imply legalization of extramarital sex.
Speaking in a webinar on Friday, Nadiem explained that the regulation was issued only to tackle and prevent cases of sexual violence in the country’s higher education institution and rejected the critics’ interpretation that it legalized consensual extramarital sex.
“The ministry does not support any acts that are not aligned with religious and moral norms. The regulation was designed to tackle a specific type of violence, which is sexual violence, with clear definitions,” said Nadiem.
Nadiem said the regulation was issued in response to what he called a “sexual violence pandemic” in the country’s higher education institutions, citing both an internal survey by the ministry and external surveys.
For instance, 27 percent of cases of sexual abuse between 2015 and 2020 were reported to occur at universities, according to data from the National Commission on Violence Against Women (Komnas Perempuan).
The ministry’s internal survey conducted last year revealed 77 percent of lecturers said that cases of sexual violence had occurred at their universities and 63 percent said the cases were not reported.
Following the issuance of the regulation, Nadiem said he hoped it would help prevent future cases of sexual violence.
