Yogyakarta – Sekolah Vokasi Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) keep strengthening their commitment in creating a safe, healthy, and inclusive campus environment. One of its latest efforts was a Socialization on the Prevention of Sexual Violence, held on Wednesday, April 23, 2025, at the Ballroom of the TILC Building, Sekolah Vokasi UGM. This event presents Prof. Dra. Yayi Suryo Prabandari, M.Si., Ph.D., Team Leader of Health Promoting University (HPU) UGM, as the main speaker.
The event opened with remarks from the Dean of Sekolah Vokasi UGM, Prof. Ing. Ir. Agus Maryono, IPM., ASEAN Eng., who stressed that the issue of sexual violence is a shared responsibility. He explained that this activity is a real step from the university in preventing and handling sexual violence on campus. “In the future, we aim to provide counseling spaces at the program level. This is part of the university’s commitment to ensure a safe and comfortable environment for all members of our academic community,” he said.
In her presentation, Prof. Yayi introduced a holistic approach through the Health Promoting University concept, which focuses on creating a learning environment and organizational culture that supports health, well-being, and sustainability. According to her, a healthy university is not just a place to study, but a place that empowers every academic member to reach their best potential. This approach refers to frameworks from the Asian University Network – Health Promotion Network (AUN-HPN), and also the Healthy Universities concept from England (2010), where universities act as drivers of positive change for a healthier society.
Prof. Yayi also shared several initiatives already implemented at UGM to support this healthy campus vision—such as promoting physical activity, healthy eating, mental health care, health literacy, and zero tolerance for drugs, tobacco, alcohol, as well as all forms of violence, including bullying and sexual harassment. UGM is also actively creating a safe, healthy, and disability-friendly campus while raising awareness about reproductive health among students and staff.
In discussing sexual violence, Prof. Yayi emphasized that no single gender is solely responsible for harmful behavior. “Both men and women can have inappropriate behavior that may lead to sexual violence—it’s a matter of intensity and control,” she stated. Her message served as a reminder that prevention must involve everyone, not just a certain group, and that fair, educational values should be taught from a young age.
The discussion session after the presentation was lively and open. Many participants shared their thoughts, experiences, and questions, which helped deepen everyone’s understanding of how to respond to sexual violence on campus. The warm, empathetic atmosphere showed that this topic truly matters to the academic community.
The event ended with the presentation of a souvenir to the speaker, a group photo session, and closing remarks from the organizing committee. Through this initiative, Sekolah Vokasi UGM hopes to build a campus culture that is more aware, caring, and proactive in preventing all forms of violence—and to continue creating safe spaces for everyone in higher education.
Writer: Febriana Trisnawati