Starting Point
Satuan Kerja Pencegahan dan Penanganan Kekerasan Seksual Universitas Pattimura(Satgas PPKS Unpatti), or known in English as Sexual Violence Prevention and Handling Working Unit of Pattimura University) is mandated to prevent and handle sexual violence cases involving Unpatti students, lecturers, and staff. The task force was established in November 2021 as part of a nationwide initiative, as regulated by the Minister of Education, Culture, Research and Technology’s rules No. 30 of 2021. The establishment was met with strong enthusiasm among the civitas, especially those who long for a campus free of sexual violence.
There are ten members of Satgas PPKS Unpatti. Four are students, and three are lecturers from the Department of Psychological Counselling. Sintya Latumahina is a lecturer in the Faculty of Forestry who also heads the Education Division of Satgas PPKS Unpatti. The task force works under the jurisdiction of Vice Rector III, which gives it great authority in sanctioning sexual violence cases on campus..
Peace Journey
Satgas PPKS Unpatti is licensed to address sexual violence cases, not limited to those that happened on campus, but also anywhere else as long as their civitas were involved as the victim or perpetrator. This includes the community where students and lecturers participate in community services, the offices where students intern, and the informal hours of external extracurricular activities in which students may engage. The task force’s authority also goes beyond the silo of faculties, as it is allowed to manoeuvre at the university level. Once a faculty receives a report of sexual violence, the report is referred to Satgas PPKS Unpatti. The task force’s intracampus socialisation programmes repeatedly echo the referral system.
Moreover, Satgas PPKS Unpatti are motivated to socialise their services, as the students, who make up a significant percentage of the victims, are afraid to report their cases to Satgas due to fear of intimidation from the perpetrators. It’s also embedded in the Ambonese culture to perceive sexual violence as a disgrace, keep it obscure, and solve the case in a familial manner. Satgas PPKS Unpatti aims to deconstruct such conviction. The perpetrators must be sanctioned. To do so, the task force needs cooperation from the victims. This is where the prevention and handling of sexual violence cases work simultaneously. For victims to feel safe in reporting their cases and testifying against their perpetrators, the civitas of Unpatti ought to create a safe environment where victims are protected, and no sexual violence goes unpunished.
Success Stories
Sintya Latumahina has no prior experience or formal education in handling sexual violence cases. However, she admitted that her tenure at Satgas has taught her priceless lessons and takeaways related to sexual violence activism. She has collaborated with many organisations, including Yayasan Rumah Generasi, and believes that these alliances would be beneficial. Even if her workload at Satgas increases in the future, she would not mind, as it would indicate that the victims are gaining increased courage to report their cases.
Furthermore, despite various limitations, the determination of Satgas PPKS Unpatti in advocating for sexual violence is admirable. It still perseveres in socialising sexual violence mitigation despite inadequate funding. Undeterred by perturbing public attention, it worked behind the scenes to solve an already viral sexual violence case. Although Satgas PPKS Unpatti is obliged to keep the case confidential, the public demanded full disclosure, unaware of the ramifications that would entail.