March highlights sexual violence at universities

In celebration of International Women’s Day 2020, some 200 people paraded in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, to protest against sexual violence against women in general – and at universities in their own city in particular, writes Bambang Muryanto for The Jakarta Post.

“We need to keep our eyes on the issue and insist [that the authorities] eradicate sexual violence at education institutions, especially by creating a policy on handling sexual violence cases that is in favour for survivors,” Felice Dorothy Arus of the International Women’s Day local committee told The Jakarta Post on Sunday.

The parade began at the Abu Bakar Ali parking lot and proceeded to Jl Malioboro to end at the Zero Kilometer landmark. In her speech, a student called Fatonah, who studies at an Islamic university in Yogyakarta, said at least eight cases had happened on her campus but the suspected perpetrator, a lecturer, was still teaching. “If the campus fails to make us feel safe, how can we actually get a proper education?” she said at the Zero Kilometer Point.
Full report on The Jakarta Post site