Description of Sexual Harassment on Islamic Campus in Jakarta

Sri Astuti and Sarah Handayani

Center of Gender Study and Children Protection, UHAMKA Faculty of Education,

Tanah Merdeka Street No 20, East Jakarta, Indonesia

Keywords: Sexual Harassment, Campus, Gender-based.

Abstract: Understanding students is vital to involve students in disclosing cases of Violence on Campus and in creating

a campus that is friendly and free from sexual Violence, including sexual harassment. The study aimed to

provide estimates of overall and specific forms of sexual harassment among male and female students in

Universitas Muhammadiyah Prof Dr. HAMKA (UHAMKA). This study uses quantitative research methods

with descriptive methods. The population is all the active students in the academic year 2021/2022, and the

sample of this study was 1142 students of Universitas Muhammadiyah Prof Dr. HAMKA. The technical

sampling used is purposive. Data collection is done by making online questionnaires that respondents can

access via the internet. The research context is about students' understanding of forms of sexual Violence.

The incidence of sexual harassment experienced by students while being active students was 10.3%. The

characteristics of respondents are 80.2% women with a low level of knowledge (74.8%) and a positive attitude

(66.5%). There are many forms of sexual harassment, from sexually suggestive messages to coercion to touch

private body parts.

1 INTRODUCTION

Sexual harassment (SH) is a form of gender-based

Violence (GBV) that has detrimental effects on

women's physical, mental, social, and financial well-

being (Karami et al., 2020). SH is a global

phenomenon, but it is also contextualized, with local

and institutional norms determining the

manifestations of harassment conduct.

Sexual harassment is formally defined as

unwelcome sex-related behaviors that exceed one's

coping capacities or threaten one's well-being and are

perceived as insulting by the recipient. This

encompasses unwanted verbal and nonverbal sexual

behavior as well as unwanted physical behavior that

the target finds challenging to deal with or tolerate

(Burn, 2019)

Understanding students is vital to involve students

in disclosing cases of SH on Campus and in creating

a campus that is friendly and free from it. Students do

not understand sexual Violence caused by the

existence of culture on Campus that does not take

sides with survivors. SH cases are like an iceberg

where real issues are far more than just visible cases.

Those can happen anywhere and anytime, including

on Campus. Like an iceberg, the SH cases caused by

the gap in power relations and unequal gender

relations supported by rape culture place women as

the primary victims.

A previous study from online media classified it

based on particular themes. The results of the study

show that the Chancellor's policy on sexual

harassment is a commitment of educational

institutions to prevent and handle cases of sexual

harassment. However, if this commitment is not

followed by a good bureaucracy and adequate human

resources, the struggle for justice and victim

protection will be rugged. Moreover, stakeholders'

political interests protect perpetrators on the

Campus's behalf (Nikmatullah, 2020). Cases of

sexual harassment against women in the educational

environment are still happening. According to

National Commission on Women data, in the last

seven years, most case reports appeared in 2020. The

cases of sexual harassment in the educational

environment tend to fluctuate, from 3 in 2015 to 21 in

2020, then decrease in 2021. Violence also happens

to ex-girlfriends in 412 cases, Dating Violence in 264

cases, and Violence Against Girls in 125 cases

(Perempuan, 2021).

As explained by Amir Karami et al. in their article

Unwanted Advanced in Higher Education:

Astuti, S. and Handayani, S.

Description of Sexual Harassment on Islamic Campus in Jakarta.

DOI: 10.5220/0011661900003608

In Proceedings of the 4th International Conference on Social Determinants of Health (ICSDH 2022), pages 195-198

ISBN: 978-989-758-621-7; ISSN: 2975-8297

 2023 by SCITEPRESS – Science and Technology Publications, Lda. Under CC license (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)

195

Uncovering Sexual Harassment Experiences in

Academia with Text Mining, they explain that cases

of sexual Violence in the academic world are often

hidden cases. That is because victims or survivors are

reluctant to report their experiences of sexual

Violence. Power relations between lecturers and

students on Campus are the leading cause of low

reporting from victims (Karami et al., 2020).

Research on sexual harassment has been widely

carried out as social criticism, one of which is

regarding handling Violence in educational

institutions. Sexual harassment can be prevented and

addressed through the development of curricula and

school systems to prevent sexual Violence (Marfu'ah

et al., 2021). In addition, research on the prevention

of sexual Violence uses an information technology

development approach and risk management to assist

in handling sexual Violence in universities.

In a preliminary study conducted in 2021 to

students, it was found that even though distance

learning was carried out, sexual harassment occurred

in the form of seduction (6.3%), mentioning body

parts to seduce (7.3%), and sending pictures. or

pornographic videos (1.7%). Another study some

studies discussed the psychological impact on sexual

violence victims, masculine domination, and

patriarchal culture that made campuses need safe

spaces and legal protection for victims of sexual

harassment. The difference between this study and

this research is that this study focuses on students'

understanding of sexual harassment on Campus from

the forms of sexual harassment, reporting

mechanisms, and handling cases of sexual harassment

on Campus.

2 METHOD

This study uses quantitative research methods with

descriptive methods. The population of this study was

students of Universitas Muhammadiyah Prof Dr.

HAMKA. Data collection is done by making online

questionnaires that respondents can access via the

internet. The research context is about students'

understanding of forms of sexual Violence and

knowledge of the mechanisms for handling sexual

harassment and Violence on Campus.

Table 1: Characteristic Respondent.

Variable Category n %

Age 17-20 year old

21-24 year old

755

682

52,5

47,5

Sex Male

Female

285

1152

19,8

80,2

Knowledge Low

High

1075

362

74,8

25,2

Attitude Negativ

Positive

481

956

33,5

66,5

Sexual

harassments

Ever

Never

118

1024

10,3

89,7

3 RESULTS

Table 1 shows hat from 1,442 respondents, 755

respondents indicated that there were 17-20 years old

(52.5%) more than 21-24 years old (47.5%). A total

of 285 respondents indicated fewer male respondents

(19.8%) than female respondents (80.2%). A total of

1075 respondents showed that respondents with low

knowledge (74.8%) were more than respondents with

high knowledge (25.2%). A total of 481 respondents

with a negative attitude (481%) were less than

respondents with a positive attitude (66.5%). A total

of 118 students reported having experienced sexual

harassment (10,3%). A previous study found that SH

rates vary by gender, and the majority of SH targets

are girls and women, and the majority of perpetrators

are boys and men (Gruber & Fineran, 2015).

Table 2: Item of Knowledge on Sexual Harassment.

No Questions Ri

ht Wron

(

)

n (%)

Sexuality is related to female and

male reproduction, function, and

health.

1329(92,5%) 108 (7,5%)

Women who are not virgins can be

seen from their

sical a

earance.

442 (30,8%) 995 (69,2%)

A woman is not a virgin if her blood

membrane breaks.

653 (45,4%) 784 (54,6%)

A woman is not a virgin if her blood

membrane breaks.

166 (11,6%) 1271 (88,4%)

The male reproductive organs are the

enis and testes.

1412(98,3%) 25 (1,7%)

Menstruation is a characteristic of a

woman startin

to mature

1404(97,7%) 33 (2,3%)

7 Menstruatin

women can

nant 1296

(

90,2%

)

141

(

9,8%

)

Menstruation is the hallmark of a

woman as she

rows u

1403(97,6%) 34 (2,4%)

The characteristic of a man growing

is a wet dream.

1407(97,9%) 30 (2,1%)

10 Havin

sex once can't

nant 212

(

14,8%

)

1225

(

85,2%

)

Sexual harassment occurs because of

sex

clothes.

539 (37,5%) 898 (62,5%)

Men cannot be victims of sexual

harassment

219 (15,2%) 1218 (84,8%)

Victims of abuse don't fight back out

of fea

1248

(

86,8%

)

189 (%)13,2

The perpetrators of sexual harassment

are

rimaril

stran

ers

826 (57,5%) 611 (42,5%)

ICSDH 2022 - The International Conference on Social Determinants of Health

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Table 2 shows that most respondents answered

correctly item 5 in the question "The male

reproductive organs are the penis and testes," as many

as 1,412 respondents (98.3%). Most respondents

answered incorrectly on item 4, namely in the

question "Women who are late for menstruation must

be pregnant," as many as 1271 respondents (88.4%).

Table 3: Attitude on Sexual Harassment.

No Item

Strongly

not a

ree

Not Agree Agree

Strongly

ree

n (%) n (%) n (%)

n (%)

It is normal to send

pornographic

pictures or videos

to each other's

friends

940

(65,4%)

450

(31,3%)

(2,4%)

12 (0,8%)

Touching other

people's body parts

or sensitive parts

are not allowed.

276

(19,2%)

(5,9%)

194

(13,5%)

882

(61,4%)

Receiving a private

written message

from a lecturer is

normal.

1047

(72,9%)

356

(24,8%)

(1,5%)

13 (0,9%

Peeking or looking

at other people

while changing

clothes is not

allowed.

253

(17,6%)

(6,5%)

189

(13,2%)

902

(62,8%)

A person is not

allowed to force

others to touch his

private parts

160

(11,2%)

(3,4%)

225

(15,7%)

1003

(69,8%)

Table 3 shows the respondents who answered

strongly disagree, item No. 3 in the question

"Receiving intimate written messages from lecturers

is normal," as many as 1,047 respondents (72.9%).

Most respondents disagreed with item No. 1, namely

the question, "Sending pornographic pictures or

videos to each other is normal," as many as 450

respondents (31.3%). Most respondents agreed,

namely on item 5, in the question "A person is not

allowed to force another person to touch his private

part," as many 225 respondents (15.7%). Most

respondents strongly agree, namely on item 5, "A

person is not allowed to force others to touch his

private parts," as many as 1003 respondents (69.8%).

This study found the same result with the previous

research which the most common forms of SH were

'sexual expressions, suggestions or comments about

your body(Sivertsen et al., 2019)

Table 4: Gender-based Sexual Harassment (n=1442).

No Item

Male Female

n (%) n (%)

I am getting dirty

messages, comments, and

jokes from other people.

Never

(12,3%)

675

(87,7%)

Ever

190

(28,5%)

477

(71,5%)

Getting words of seduction

of sexual attraction from

others

Never

207

(20,9%)

784

(79,1%)

Ever

(17,5%)

368

(82,5%)

Get dirty/porn pictures or

videos from other people.

Never

149

(14,4%)

883

(85,6%)

Ever

136

(33,6%)

269

(66,4%)

Getting sexual stories from

other people

Never

135

(15,6%)

729

(84,4%)

Ever

150

(26,2%)

423

(73,8%)

Get porn links/websites

from other people to open.

Never

192

(15,8%)

1023

(84,2%)

Ever

(41,4%)

129

(58,6%)

Being teased by others is

related to physical

appearance

Never

209

(26,3%)

585

(73,7%)

Ever

(11,8%)

567

(88,2%)

Forced by others to see

private body parts

Never

286

(20,0%)

1072

(80,0%)

Ever

(18,1%)

(81,9%)

Forced by others to see his

private body parts

Never

267

(19,7%)

1086

(80,3%)

Ever

(21,0%)

(79,0%)

Peeked or saw other people

while changing clothes

Never

269

(19,6%)

1101

(80,4%)

Ever

(23,9%)

(76,1%)

Forced to show your

private body through video

or live chat

Never

276

(20,1%)

1096

(79,9%)

Ever 9 (14,1%)

(85,9%)

Forced by others to want to

be touched by your private

body parts

Never

276

(19,8%)

1118

(80,2%)

Ever 9 (20,9%)

(79,1%)

Table 4 shows 477 respondents (71,5%) of female

respondents experienced Getting dirty messages,

comments, and jokes from other people. But 190

(28,5%) of male students mentioned the same things,

too. Among them, 34 females ever experienced

showing their private body through video or live chat,

as many as 1372 respondents (95.5%).

Table 5 shows that the forms of sexual Violence

that occur if disaggregated by sex show a different

pattern. The item "Get porn links/websites from other

people to open" indicates that the proportion between

males and females is almost the same, 41.4% for

males and 58.6% for female students. Meanwhile, the

item "Forced to reveal your private body via video or

live chat" was more experienced by female students

(85.9%). Another thing, "Being teased by others is

Description of Sexual Harassment on Islamic Campus in Jakarta

197

related to physical appearance," is dominantly

experienced by female students (88,2%).

Some respondents got sexual Violence and

harassment while being a student. A female

respondent ever experienced being forced to

accompany video calls with vulgar conditions at night

stated:

"I am often forced to accompany video calls with

vulgar conditions at night. At least until now, there

have been three male students who have forced me to

do so. They have also sent me inappropriate photos

with vulgar words."

One female respondent reported having

experienced sexual harassment from a friend while

attending a Kuliah Kerja Nyata (KKN) field. "He

touched my breast when we were there."

Another female respondent reported when she

was with her friends."So my friend was in his house.

I was suspicious because I was alone, it turned out

that when I arrived, he opened the door in a breathless

state after I entered to see what my friend was doing,

suddenly the man took me behind to accompany him

to wash. I was pulled into the bathroom, then I

rebelled, and I didn't want to, and I got out of the

bathroom, then I was pulled into the bathroom. I was

thrown onto the bed, then occupied and forced to run

away. I screamed for help. Even though my friend

was there but silent".

This study found the same result with the previous

research that the victims of sexual harassment are

mostly confused about seeking help(Hassen &

Mohammed, 2021).

4 CONCLUSIONS

The low response rate necessitates caution in

interpreting and extrapolating the results to the entire

student population. The incidence of sexual

harassment experienced by students while being

active students was 10.3%. The characteristics of

respondents are 80.2% women with a low level of

knowledge (74.8%) and a positive attitude (66.5%).

There are many forms of sexual harassment, from

sexually suggestive messages to coercion to touch

private body parts. Universities need to build a

prevention system in the form of sexual harassment

education for students and the entire academic

community, as well as a system for handling cases on

the UHAMKA Campus.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The Centre of Gender Study and Children Protection

would like to thank the Universitas Muhammadiyah

Prof Dr. HAMKA (UHAMKA) research and

development institute for providing funding support.

Appreciation for all respondents willing to fill out the

research questionnaire instrument.

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