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On 2 June 2025, the Student Executive Board of the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences (BEM FISIP) at UPN “Veteran” East Java held an open discussion titled “Power Relations and Sexual Violence: Examining the Abuse of Authority Across Sectors.” The discussion was attended by students and members of the academic community to deepen understanding of sexual violence issues within the campus environment.The discussion explored key topics such as power relations in cases of sexual violence, the normalization of violence culture that often goes unnoticed, the importance of survivor-centered approaches by the Sexual Violence Prevention and Response Task Force (Satgas PPKS), and the need for programs that support survivors’ recovery and rights in higher education institutions. Gusti Ayu Made Kayika from Savy Amira Women’s Crisis Centre and Januari Pratama Nurratri, a lecturer from the Department of International Relations at UPN “Veteran” East Java, joined the discussion as speakers.
From a social work perspective, Kayika explained that power relations refer to an imbalance between perpetrators and survivors of violence, shaped by factors such as gender, authority, reputation, and economic status, which place survivors in a pressured position as they are effectively “controlled” by the perpetrator. She emphasized that power relations are not limited to formal hierarchical roles but can also exist in personal relationships, including dating, friendships, lecturer–student dynamics, student organization settings, and even between public figures and the public. Kayika further noted that power relations are often dismissed as invalid simply because the factors are not visible, even though such imbalances are key drivers that enable perpetrators to control survivors and deprive them of their rights. In the context of higher education, Ratri added that the abuse of power relations as a trigger for sexual violence does not always begin with overt or major incidents; rather, it often stems from the normalization of violence culture, such as sexist jokes, verbal harassment (catcalling), and non-consensual physical contact, which can gradually escalate into more complex forms of violence.
It is not uncommon for survivors, most of whom are students, to report that perpetrators often perceive flirtatious behavior as normal or merely a form of praise. However, when confronted because the survivor feels uncomfortable, perpetrators frequently dismiss the response as an overreaction. Such attitudes should no longer be normalized, as they represent an early stage of a culture that legitimizes violence through the objectification of bodies. Ratri further emphasized that knowledge of survivor-centered case assistance still needs to be implemented more consistently by the PPKS Task Force staff. This involves not only ensuring that survivors’ needs are met and their experiences validated, but also safeguarding their safety and avoiding dictating decisions as if survivors were powerless. When staff assume they know better than the survivor and excessively control the decisions regarding how a case should be handled, this practice requires internal evaluation within the PPKS Task Force. Both speakers concluded that the PPKS Task Force should continuously strengthen its skills and knowledge to provide responses that are fair and gender-sensitive, including maintaining transparency in their work as a campus unit for the prevention and handling of sexual violence.
Both speakers emphasized that power relations do not only exist in formal hierarchies but can also occur in personal and digital spaces, such as relationships between lecturers and students, peers, or public figures and the public. The normalization of behaviors such as sexist jokes, verbal harassment, and non-consensual physical contact was highlighted as an early stage of violence that should not be tolerated. In the context of online gender-based violence, the discussion also stressed the importance of recognizing digital power relations and preventing revictimization.
The discussion concluded with recommendations to strengthen collaboration between campus organizations, university authorities, and civil society organizations. These include improving the capacity of Satgas PPKS through survivor-centered and gender-sensitive practices, integrating gender awareness into campus programs, and developing sustainable educational campaigns on sexual violence prevention.
Savy Amira Women’s Crisis Centre welcomes collaboration in the form of proactive campaign training against violence culture, as well as capacity-building training for internal members of the Satgas PPKS. For those interested in organizing discussions, advocacy training, or collective care initiatives to strengthen capacity in addressing gender-based violence (GBV), please contact us via email at savyamirawcc@gmail.com or complete the form at bit.ly/kerjasamasavyamira.