Harassment is an indecent act or deed against another person. Harassment can be in the form of physical insults. The perpetrators of harassment cases are usually people close to them/relatives. Harassment is usually carried out in quiet places. Cases of harassment in Indonesia have increased from year to year due to the lack of awareness of the perpetrators towards a person’s self-esteem. Nowadays, harassment does not only occur in the general public, but is also experienced by students in Islamic boarding schools.
Harassment is almost the same as bullying. The community considers harassment cases to be commonplace. However, if left unchecked, these cases will increase from year to year. Until now, there has been no proper solution to deter the perpetrators. Harassment cases are also rampant abroad. This case is one of the cases that is difficult to investigate due to the lack of evidence and witnesses.
Currently, the police are still having difficulty investigating this case because the evidence cannot be seen. This case is indeed difficult to distinguish from other cases. Harassment can be due to low human resources or revenge against someone. Harassment is a problem that violates Human Rights (HAM). Thus, people who commit this act will be involved in the law and can be subject to criminal law.
Some solutions from the author include:
1. Anticipating yourself
Guard yourself wherever you are. If we are alone in a quiet place, we should move away and look for a crowded place/lots of people. If we are teased by other people, we should also reprimand them or run away from their clutches.
2. Report to the authorities
It would be better if we report to the authorities, namely the police. And if the person affected by this case is a woman, we can report it to the National Commission on Violence Against Women. If we report to the police, we also need strong evidence. To tell the evidence, we must explain the characteristics of the person, the place where the incident took place, the time of the incident, if possible we must also record audio where the incident took place. By telling this evidence clearly, it will be easy for the police team to find the perpetrator.
3. Consult a psychologist
In addition to reporting to the authorities, we should also consult a psychologist about our mental health. Usually, those who are affected by harassment/victims experience psychological disorders, therefore we consult a psychologist. In addition, we also need self-soothing to prevent anxiety/discomfort. Maybe a psychologist can provide a solution that can make us feel comfortable, safe and our mental health will also return.
4. Education about harassment
A lot of education about harassment can make us have a lot of knowledge and awareness about harassment, starting from recognizing what harassment is, how to prevent it or how to deal with it, etc. The more knowledge we get, the more we know/can distinguish between what is good and what is bad so that we can avoid it.
5. Gather in a positive environment
Gathering in a positive environment makes us comfortable, safe, and peaceful. In addition, we will also get used to doing good things and avoid negative things or things that we don’t want. However, even though we gather in a positive environment, we must still be careful.
It can be concluded that harassment has a very big impact on the victim, namely:
1. The victim will be traumatized
The victim will be traumatized when in public because they are afraid that the incident will happen again. They will panic, not calm when outside. And most likely the victim will lock themselves in the house because they are traumatized by the incident they experienced.
2. Experiencing mental and psychological disorders
In addition to trauma, the victim will also experience mental disorders because they feel that their life is uncomfortable and restless. They feel threatened by others for no reason.
3. Experiencing mental disorders
The victim will also experience mental disorders because they are restless and depressed. Usually if they have experienced mental disorders, the victim can become stressed and crazy. Every day crying in their room, being alone, thinking a lot. This is one of the big triggers for the victim’s mental damage.
In addition to the victim, the perpetrator will also get the impact of their actions. The following are some of the consequences that perpetrators of sexual harassment will get:
1. Can be imprisoned
The perpetrator can be imprisoned for several years, possibly 10 years or more.
2. His life will not be calm
The perpetrators of harassment cases will not have a peaceful life because they have harmed others and made other people’s lives anxious. In addition, if the victim has reported it to the police, they will be wanted by the police for further action. So the perpetrators of this case will never have a peaceful life.
3. Shunned by others
The community will stay away from the perpetrator because they are considered someone who harms others. In addition, people will be afraid to approach the perpetrator because they are afraid that he will make trouble again.
The description above is the impact of harassment cases from both the perpetrator and the victim. It can be concluded that if the victim has a mental disorder, they should consult a psychologist/doctor. And report the perpetrator to the police if the case is a woman, they can report it to the National Commission on Violence Against Women. If the perpetrator still carries out indecent cases in the environment, the community should hold night patrols in turns, go around the village and check whether all places are safe or not.
By: Almayra Zahratunafiza
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