UNISSULA Protects Reporters, Survivors, and Witnesses from Educational and Employment Disadvantage

Universitas Islam Sultan Agung (UNISSULA) has an institutional framework to protect individuals involved in reporting discrimination-related harm and sexual violence from retaliation, academic disadvantage, employment disadvantage, intimidation, and other adverse consequences.

This framework is supported by Rector’s Decree No. 1843/E.1/SA/III/2022, which established the Monitoring, Prevention, and Handling of Sexual Violence Team at UNISSULA. The university’s 2022 Guidelines for the Prevention and Handling of Sexual Violence further establish reporting procedures, protection mechanisms, assistance, and recovery for survivors and witnesses.

Institutional Protection Framework

UNISSULA’s policy framework applies across the university community. The guidelines cover students, lecturers, teaching assistants, tutors, researchers, research assistants, educational staff, non-academic staff, security personnel, cleaning staff, interns, contract workers, and other individuals working within or interacting with the university environment.

This broad scope is important because the potential consequences of reporting misconduct may affect both academic and employment relationships.

For students, retaliation may take the form of academic disadvantage. For employees, it may take the form of adverse employment treatment. UNISSULA’s framework therefore provides safeguards relevant to both groups.

Non-Discrimination in Case Handling

The guidelines establish non-discrimination as one of the principles governing prevention and case handling.

They state that prevention and handling processes must be sensitive to the diversity of survivors and must not discriminate on the basis of sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, ethnicity, race, religion, education, social group or class, or disability.

This principle helps ensure that individuals who seek assistance or participate in reporting procedures receive fair treatment regardless of their background or personal characteristics.

Safe Mechanisms for Reporting

UNISSULA provides formal reporting mechanisms through the UNISSULA Center (UC).

The Center is responsible for providing a safe and comfortable space for survivors and witnesses to report cases through available reporting channels, including a hotline. It also documents and verifies reports, assesses the needs of survivors, and follows up cases with the Rectorate, the university Ethics Committee, and relevant investigation structures.

This reporting structure is intended to make it possible for members of the university community to raise concerns without having to face the process alone.

Explicit Protection from Educational and Employment Disadvantage

A particularly strong part of the UNISSULA policy is the explicit protection against adverse consequences imposed outside the formal case-resolution mechanism.

The guidelines provide the right to give information without pressure and the right to confidentiality. They also establish protection from forms of punishment such as:

• delay or cancellation of grades;
• delay or cancellation of graduation;
• job transfer;
• dismissal; and
• other forms of punishment outside the official resolution process.

The guidelines provide the same form of protection for witnesses, including protection against the delay or cancellation of grades or graduation, job transfer, and dismissal.

These provisions directly address the two types of disadvantage that are particularly important in a university environment: educational disadvantage and employment disadvantage.

Protection from Educational Disadvantage

For students, UNISSULA’s policy specifically guards against academic retaliation.

A student involved in reporting or providing information in a case should not suffer disadvantages such as the delay or cancellation of grades or graduation outside the formal resolution mechanism.

These protections help preserve a student’s academic position and reduce the risk that participation in a reporting process will interfere with continued study or degree completion.

Protection from Employment Disadvantage

The policy also provides safeguards relevant to university employees.

Lecturers, researchers, educational staff, and other employees covered by the guidelines are protected against adverse employment consequences such as arbitrary job transfer or dismissal outside the formal case-handling mechanism.

This helps ensure that employees can participate in reporting and case-handling processes without their employment position being used as a means of retaliation.

Protection for Witnesses

The protection framework is not limited to survivors.

Witnesses are also specifically covered. This is important because witnesses may face pressure, intimidation, or retaliation for providing information.

The policy guarantees witnesses the right to provide information without pressure, confidentiality of identity, protection from adverse academic or employment consequences, psychological support, legal assistance, and appropriate facilities where necessary.

This strengthens the university’s reporting system by helping individuals participate in investigations without fear of disadvantage.

Protection and Recovery through UNISSULA Center

UNISSULA Center is also responsible for coordinating and monitoring protection and recovery services for survivors and witnesses.

The guidelines define protection as efforts to provide safety to survivors and witnesses, while recovery includes assistance intended to support them in resolving the case, obtaining their rights, and restoring wellbeing.

The available support includes:

• medical services;
• psychological services;
• academic assistance; and
• legal assistance.

This means that protection is not limited to the moment when a report is submitted. Support can continue throughout the case-handling and recovery process.

Academic Support as Part of Protection

The explicit inclusion of academic assistance within the protection and recovery framework is particularly relevant for students.

Where a case affects a student’s ability to participate in learning or complete academic requirements, the university can provide academic support as part of the response.

Together with the prohibition on retaliatory academic consequences, this helps protect the student’s continued participation in education.

Confidentiality and Freedom from Pressure

The reporting framework also recognises that individuals may hesitate to report misconduct if they fear exposure or coercion.

UNISSULA therefore provides safeguards including:

• the right to provide information without pressure;
• protection of identity and confidentiality;
• access to assistance; and
• protection against improper punishment.

These measures help create safer conditions for reporting and participation in case handling.

Institutional Responsibility

The protection mechanism is supported institutionally through both the university’s formal team and the UNISSULA Center.

The establishment of the Monitoring, Prevention, and Handling of Sexual Violence Team through Rector’s Decree No. 1843/E.1/SA/III/2022 demonstrates that prevention and case handling are formally assigned responsibilities within the university structure.

The UNISSULA Center then provides operational support by receiving reports, coordinating case handling, providing protection, and monitoring recovery services.

Preventing Retaliation after Reporting

UNISSULA’s framework recognises that protection must extend beyond the submission of a complaint.

A person who has reported a case, survived misconduct, or provided evidence as a witness must be able to continue studying or working without being subjected to unofficial punishment.

This is reflected in the policy’s explicit prohibition of adverse consequences such as:

• cancellation or delay of grades;
• cancellation or delay of graduation;
• job transfer; and
• dismissal.

These examples demonstrate that UNISSULA’s protection mechanisms address concrete risks that can affect a person’s educational or employment position.

Commitment to Fair and Safe Reporting

Through its formal reporting structure, non-discrimination principles, protection for survivors and witnesses, confidentiality safeguards, academic assistance, and protection against adverse academic or employment consequences, UNISSULA seeks to ensure that members of the university community can report misconduct safely.

The framework combines prevention, reporting, protection, recovery, and follow-up within a single institutional approach.

It also demonstrates that protection includes not only personal safety but also the preservation of an individual’s academic and professional position.