Regarding the case of sexual violence against several students at the Faculty of Pharmacy, which has recently attracted public attention in several media outlets, the incident came to light following a report submitted to the Faculty of Pharmacy in July 2024. Based on this report, the faculty leadership immediately coordinated with and reported the case to UGM’s Task Force for the Prevention and Handling of Sexual Violence (Satgas PPKS UGM). Satgas PPKS UGM promptly responded by providing support to the victim and subsequently conducting examinations of witnesses and the reported individual in accordance with applicable regulations and standard operating procedures.
The principles of gender mainstreaming and justice always guide UGM’s efforts in preventing and handling cases of sexual violence. The university strives to offer services, protection, recovery, and empowerment for victims. Therefore, one of the university’s and faculty’s initial swift actions was to relieve the reported individual of their academic duties and remove them from their position as Head of the Cancer Chemoprevention Research Center (CCRC) at the Faculty of Pharmacy. This removal was enacted through a Dean’s Decree from the Faculty of Pharmacy on July 12, 2024. This decision was made well before the examination was concluded, and sanctions were imposed in the interest of the victims to ensure a safe space for all members of the academic community at the faculty.
Chronologically, Satgas PPKS UGM immediately followed up on the report from the Faculty of Pharmacy by forming an Investigative Committee through UGM Rector’s Decree Number 750/UN1.P/KPT/HUKOR/2024, with the committee’s term extended from August 1, 2024, to October 31, 2024. The committee conducted its investigation by gathering detailed testimonies from the victims, questioning the reported individual and witnesses, reviewing supporting evidence, and proceeding to issue recommendations.
Based on the findings, records, and evidence gathered during the investigation, the committee concluded that the reported individual was proven to have committed acts of sexual violence in violation of Article 3 paragraph (2) letter l and Article 3 paragraph (2) letter m of UGM Rector Regulation No. 1 of 2023. The individual was also found to have breached the code of ethics for lecturers. The decision to impose sanctions was based on UGM Rector’s Decree Number 95/UN1.P/KPT/HUKOR/2025 concerning Sanctions Against a Lecturer at the Faculty of Pharmacy, dated January 20, 2025. The leadership of Universitas Gadjah Mada has imposed a sanction of permanent dismissal from the lecturer position. This sanction was carried out in accordance with prevailing employment regulations.
In addition, UGM, through its Satgas PPKS UGM, continues to provide services, protection, recovery, and empowerment for the victims according to their needs.
UGM remains firmly committed to being a campus free from all forms of sexual violence. Policies have been developed, applied, and enforced with the principle that a university campus should be a safe and conducive space free from violence. Since 2016, UGM has formulated policies on preventing and handling sexual harassment. This commitment was further reinforced with the launch of the Health Promoting University (HPU) program in 2019 and the establishment of the Zero Tolerance Task Force for Violence, Bullying, and Harassment. Following the issuance of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology Regulation No. 30 of 2021, UGM aligned its internal policies with this regulation, including the formation of Satgas PPKS UGM on September 3, 2022. Various efforts to raise awareness about these regulations and standard operating procedures for handling and preventing sexual violence continue to be carried out in order to realize UGM as a safe space free from all forms of sexual violence.
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Contact Information:
Public Relations and News Division
Universitas Gadjah Mada Yogyakarta
Phone: +62 (274) 588 688
Email: humas@ugm.ac.id, pemberitaan.humas@ugm.ac.id