GKR UMS’ An-Nisa Study Sheds Light on Issues Related to Sexual Harassment

Towards the end of the month of Ramadan, Gema Kampus Ramadan (GKR) Universitas Muhammadiyah Surakarta (UMS) held a special women's study with the theme “My Clothes or Your Dirty Mind?” which took place at the Fadhlurrahman Mosque, Campus 1 UMS, Saturday (15/4). The study was also broadcast through the Instagram account @gkr.ums, inviting UMS Psychology Lecturer, Dra.Yuliani Prasetyaningrum, M.Si. as the guest speaker.

The person in charge of the An-Nisa' study, Rohma Syarifah Az Zaroh, conveyed the reason for choosing the theme in this edition because in the modern era sexual harassment afflicts many women, so questions arise in the community about how women dress.

“Even women who follow the societal standards of modesty fall prey to sexual predators. In the aftermath, people engage in pointless finger-pointing, questioning whether it's women's dress or men's perverted thoughts that are to blame?” she remarked.

In her presentation, Yuliani Prasetyaningrum, a psychologist, highlighted that every woman possesses inherent beauty, and this very beauty can attract unwanted attention. She emphasized that adhering to modest dress codes can serve as a means of avoiding such unwanted attention.

“To protect this, Allah provides a solution, namely by wearing hijab. According to Islam, as a Muslim woman, hijab is a guardian of our dignity and a portrait of the glory of a Muslim woman,” she explained.

This An-Nisa’ activity was the last discussion of the GKR UMS An-Nisa’ study series. The enthusiasm of the listeners was quite high, several questions were asked to the UMS lecturer even though they were submitted online.

Yulian Prasetyaningrum responded to a question related to someone's dirty thoughts even though a woman has dressed according to Sharia.

“Individuals who harbor such thoughts are likely driven by an appreciation for women’s beauty,” she explained.

She said that for example, if a person is used to seeing women in bikinis, even if there are women who are well-dressed and covered, the person will fantasize.

“She is neatly dressed and covered, yet they imagined her with wonder, if she wears a bikini she must be as beautiful as the one on her gadget.” explained Yulian Prasetyaningrum.

In her view, the person’s perverted thought is not a divine gift but rather a product of the information they consume, particularly with regard to sexual topics. (Maysali/Humas)

Translator: Farizal Luqman Majid