IPAS Indonesia Trains Task Forces on the Prevention and Handling of Violence from Seven Universities in Maluku

Ambon, Maluku – Campuses, which should be safe spaces for learning, still face serious challenges related to violence. In 2024, the National Commission on Violence Against Women (Komnas Perempuan) received 4,178 reports of violence occurring on college campuses. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection (Kemen PPPA) noted that 27 percent of sexual violence cases occurred on college campuses. These figures underscore the importance of strengthening the capacity of the Task Force for the Prevention and Handling of Violence in Higher Education Institutions (PPKPT).

Through the ARUMBAE Program, the IPAS Indonesia Foundation organized a training session for members of the PPKPT Task Force from seven universities in Ambon, Maluku, on July 22–24, 2026. The event was attended by 23 participants, consisting of 16 women and 7 men.

Over the course of three days, participants received training on various topics aimed at strengthening the role of the PPKPT Task Force, ranging from the legal basis for the task force’s establishment and operations, to techniques for supporting victims, as well as case management and referral procedures in addressing violence.

One of the participants, Hilqya Latupapua from the Ambon State Christian Institute, said she gained a lot of new knowledge about case management. According to her, the material helped participants understand the stages of case handling more comprehensively, from counseling to efforts to protect victims.

“We also learned how to conduct interviews, especially to gather information about violence without triggering the victims’ trauma,” said Hilqya.

Another participant from the Maluku Indonesian Christian University, Costansa Glory, considered the session on prevention strategies through cultural change and effective communication to be one of the most interesting sessions. For her, prevention is a crucial aspect of efforts to create a safe and violence-free campus environment.

Meanwhile, Christy Hitijahubessy from the Ambon Health Polytechnic emphasized the importance of strengthening the capacity of the PPKPT Task Force, as campuses are often the first place victims turn to report the incidents they have experienced.

“So after this training, I will step up outreach efforts to ensure that the university administration and the task force are on the same page,” he explained.

The PPKPT Task Force was established pursuant to Minister of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology Regulation No. 55 of 2024 on the Prevention and Handling of Violence in Higher Education Institutions. This regulation replaces Ministerial Regulation No. 30 of 2021, which previously governed the Task Force on the Prevention and Handling of Sexual Violence (PPKS).

Under this latest regulation, the Task Force’s scope of responsibilities has been expanded to address all forms of violence occurring on college campuses, including sexual violence. Although the establishment of the PPKPT Task Force has been mandated by a ministerial regulation, only about 15.5 percent of higher education institutions in Indonesia have formed such a task force.

Through this training, the IPAS Indonesia Foundation hopes that members of the PPKPT Task Force in Maluku will develop stronger capacity to prevent, provide support for, and address cases of violence, so that campuses can become safer, more inclusive, and more supportive environments for the entire academic community.