Sexual Violence Allegations at Pati Islamic Boarding School, Tens of Female Students Become Victims
A caretaker at a pesantren (Islamic boarding school) in Tlogowungu, Pati, Central Java, with initials S, is suspected of sexually assaulting tens of female students, mostly orphans, over several years. The victims' legal representative, Ali Yusron, said the number of victims reached 30-50, with ages roughly equivalent to middle school level. The perpetrator's method involved threatening expulsion from the boarding school via WhatsApp messages at night to force the victims to accompany him. The alleged crimes occurred at two locations within the pesantren's surroundings.
Ali Yusron revealed that one victim even became pregnant and was married off to a male student to cover up the incident. Even though a report was filed in 2024, the perpetrator has still not been detained. The victims are predominantly orphans from disadvantaged families attending the perpetrator-run boarding school free of charge. To date, two witnesses are ready to give testimony.
The chairman of the Pati PCNU (the Pati branch of Nahdlatul Ulama), KH Yusuf Hasyim, stressed that the case must be resolved legally, without generalizing an individual's actions as reflecting the entire pesantren image. The Pati PCNU, through its RMI, has instructed increased oversight of boarding schools in its area and urged the Ministry of Religious Affairs to tighten licensing to prevent legal violations within religious educational environments.
https://www.gelora.co/2026/05/