The Community Service Program (PkM) of the Sociology Study Program, Faculty of Law, Social Sciences, and Political Sciences (FHISIP) at Universitas Terbuka (UT) was held at Dharma Karya UT Junior High School, Pondok Cabe. The program aimed to provide teenagers with a deeper understanding of critical issues such as Gender-Based Online Violence (KBGO) and bullying, which have become increasingly prevalent among young people.
In addition to the PkM team, consisting of lecturers, staff, and seven students from the Sociology Study Program at FHISIP UT, the event was attended by 100 students, including all 9th graders and representatives from the 7th and 8th grades. Seven teachers and school staff also participated, including the school principal, Mr. Dede Budianto, S.Pd. In his opening remarks, Mr. Dede emphasized the importance of this kind of socialization for teenagers to prevent them from engaging in negative behaviors like bullying and gender-based online violence, either as perpetrators or victims. He also expressed his full support for this effort, recognizing the vital role schools play in providing character education and raising social awareness among students.
Echoing this sentiment, Ms. Dra. Parwitaningsih, M.Si., Head of the Sociology Study Program and the Head of the PkM Team, highlighted in her speech that the socialization was intended to equip students with knowledge and awareness to protect themselves from violence and to help create a safer and more inclusive school environment. She also encouraged the students to actively participate in fostering social change by showing greater care and empathy towards others.
The main event featured two key presentations: “Without Bullying, Everyone’s Happy” by Dra. Parwitaningsih, M.Si., and “Understanding and Addressing Gender-Based Online Violence” by Nur Hayati, S.Pd., M.A. These presentations were designed to broaden the students’ understanding of the risks and impacts of bullying and KBGO, as well as how they can protect themselves and others from such behavior.
Through an interactive approach, including ice-breaking activities that engaged the participants, the students were encouraged to focus more on the material presented. The session on bullying emphasized the importance of creating a healthy social environment that respects differences, while the session on KBGO offered clear insights into the dangers of online violence and how to address it.
The question-and-answer session was one of the most engaging parts, with many students actively asking questions about both topics. This enthusiasm demonstrated that teenagers have a significant need for this information to navigate the social and technological challenges they face in their daily lives. Through better understanding, students are expected to avoid becoming either perpetrators or victims of physical or online violence.
As a follow-up to this event, the PkM Team will also provide the school with pocketbooks on the Prevention and Handling of KBGO and Bullying. These booklets are expected to reach more students beyond those who attended the event, ensuring that even more teenagers gain knowledge on the importance of preventing and addressing violence and bullying. With the distribution of these materials, it is hoped that the socialization message will continue to spread and serve as a guide for all students in maintaining a safe and violence-free school environment.
