Harassment and bullying at work: how to recognise, record, and report it
No job is worth dreading every trip to the office. If a comment, a touch, a message, or demeaning treatment has ever made you uncomfortable, that feeling deserves to be taken seriously. What happened is not your fault, and you do not have to face it alone.
Resmi.ID Team · 4 min read ·
This article helps you recognise sexual harassment and bullying, record incidents carefully, and choose a reporting route that suits you. You decide the steps; there is no order you are obliged to follow.
Recognising sexual harassment
Indonesia's Law No. 12 of 2022 on Sexual Violence Crimes (UU TPKS) recognises several forms of sexual violence, including non-physical sexual harassment, physical sexual harassment, and electronic-based sexual violence. The Ministry of Manpower (Kemnaker) then issued Ministerial Decree (Kepmenaker) No. 88 of 2023 on Guidelines for Preventing and Handling Sexual Violence in the Workplace, which refers to those forms.
In everyday office life, it can look like this:
- Sexual comments, jokes, or catcalls about your body or appearance.
- Touching, hugging, or physical closeness you did not want.
- Sexual photos, stickers, or messages sent via WhatsApp, email, or social media.
- Repeated invitations to a date or to "stay over" after you have said no.
- Promises of promotion, contract renewal, or a good review tied to sexual requests.
The Kemnaker guidelines also make clear that both perpetrators and victims can be employers, fellow workers, or other people in the workplace, including clients and visitors.
Recognising bullying
Bullying is repeated demeaning treatment that makes it hard for you to work safely. Examples include being shouted at or humiliated in front of colleagues, being shut out of meetings and key information, being deliberately given impossible workloads, or being mocked in a group chat.
Politely delivered criticism of your work is not bullying. The difference lies in intent, manner, and pattern: bullying attacks the person rather than the work, and it tends to keep happening.
Recording incidents from the start
A tidy record helps a great deal, whichever route you choose later. Start now, even if you are not yet sure you will report.
- 1Write it down promptlyNote the date, time, place, and the words used as close to the original as you can.
- 2Keep digital evidenceScreenshot messages with the sender's name and timestamp, and back them up off work devices.
- 3Note witnessesWrite down who saw or heard what happened.
- 4Note the impactFor example trouble sleeping, fear of meeting someone, or needing a doctor or psychologist.
- 5Store it safelyUse a personal email or storage that only you can access.
Reporting inside the company
Kepmenaker 88/2023 asks companies to set up a Task Force (Satgas) for the Prevention and Handling of Sexual Violence in the Workplace. According to Kemnaker, victims can report online or in person to that task force, and complaints must be handled promptly, without discrimination, with support provided to the victim.
If your company does not have a task force yet, you can report to HR, a manager you trust (as long as they are not the perpetrator), or your trade union. Put it in writing so there is a record, for example: "I would like to report an incident on 12 October in the third-floor meeting room. My account and evidence are attached. I ask that this report be handled confidentially."
The Kemnaker guidelines list company sanctions for perpetrators, ranging from a warning letter, transfer to another unit, and reduced authority to suspension and dismissal. These do not replace criminal penalties under UU TPKS.
Reporting outside the company
- SAPA 129 from the Ministry of Women's Empowerment and Child Protection (KemenPPPA): call 129 or WhatsApp 08111-129-129, or use the online form at laporsapa129.kemenpppa.go.id. It serves women and children experiencing violence, as well as people who know about it.
- Your local Manpower Office (Dinas Ketenagakerjaan) or Kemnaker, especially if an internal report goes nowhere.
- The police, if you want to pursue a criminal case. In an emergency that threatens your safety, contact the police right away.
- A legal aid organisation or victim support service in your area, to get advice before deciding what to do.
About retaliation or intimidation
Worrying about being transferred, not having your contract renewed, or being frozen out after reporting is understandable. If you are treated differently after reporting, record those changes in the same way and raise them with the task force, the Manpower Office, or a legal adviser. Ask from the start that your identity be kept confidential.
If a colleague is going through it
- Listen without judging. Avoid questions like "Why didn't you just say no?"
- Believe them and tell them it is not their fault.
- Offer concrete help: going with them to HR, acting as a witness, or helping keep evidence safe.
- Do not share their story or report on their behalf without consent, unless there is immediate danger.
- If you witness an incident, defuse it calmly, for example by calling your colleague away for a work matter.
When looking for a new workplace
If you decide to move on, use interviews to ask about the work culture, such as whether the company has an anti-harassment policy and a complaints channel. On Resmi.ID Karir, you can choose companies with the Verified badge and use the Report button if you come across a suspicious job ad.
Whatever you choose, whether to report, wait, or leave, the decision is yours. Looking after yourself and seeking support are also part of standing up for your rights as a worker.
References
- JDIH BPK — UU Nomor 12 Tahun 2022 tentang Tindak Pidana Kekerasan Seksual
- JDIH Kemnaker — Kepmenaker Nomor 88 Tahun 2023
- Kemnaker — Menaker: Kekerasan Seksual di Tempat Kerja Tidak Bisa Ditoleransi
- KemenPPPA — Layanan SAPA 129
This information is general. For important decisions, check the latest rules at official sources or consult the relevant authorities.
