Beyond the Screen: Reassessing Campus Safety Through 'Kita Yang Menulis Cerita'

Name: Nila Arifatul Ulya
Student ID: 1152400134
Institution: Communication Science, Universitas 17 Agustus 1945 Surabaya

JurnalPost.com - Campuses are often viewed as spaces for learning, growth, discussion, and self-discovery. However, behind the academic environment that should be a safe haven, there are issues that are not always easy to discuss openly. One of these is sexual violence.

The issue of sexual violence still requires the courage to be revealed, discussed, and handled seriously. When such problems occur in a campus environment, the question that arises is not only about who the perpetrator and the victim are, but also to what extent the campus is capable of creating a safe space for the entire academic community.

This issue is the focus of Universitas 17 Agustus 1945 (UNTAG) Surabaya through a short film titled “Kita Yang Menulis Cerita” (We Who Write the Story). The film was released on August 14, 2026, at the Graha Wiyata Auditorium, UNTAG Surabaya.

This film addresses issues close to student life, including sexual violence, while conveying values of honesty, courage, empathy, and social responsibility. The presence of this film serves as a way to open conversations about sensitive issues in the campus environment while fostering awareness regarding the importance of a safe space.

The story focuses on students facing various dilemmas and life problems. They are challenged to take a stand when confronted with difficult issues, including sensitive matters occurring within the campus environment.

The approach through film is compelling because the message regarding sexual violence can be conveyed through a story that is closer to student life. Moreover, Generation Z grows up in a digital environment where visuals, storytelling, and creativity are essential parts of how they receive and understand information.

When issues like sexual violence are only conveyed through language that is too formal and distant, there is a possibility that the message will stop at being mere information without developing into awareness. This is where film can act as a communication medium that bridges these issues.

Through stories and characters, an issue is not only explained but can also be felt by the audience.

“Kita Yang Menulis Cerita” shows how the issue of sexual violence can be placed within the dynamics of student life. The dilemmas experienced by the characters also have connections to real-life conditions.

When discovering alleged sexual violence, a person may be faced with various choices: to speak up or remain silent, to support or distance oneself, to listen or to question the experience of the person who experienced it.

By bringing these issues into a story, the film provides space for the audience not only to see the victim and the perpetrator as two isolated positions. The audience is also invited to understand how the environment surrounding both can play a role in addressing the issue.

Creativity as a Language of Communication

This is where creativity plays an important role in voicing social issues. Creativity is not just about making a campaign go viral or making a film that gets a lot of attention.

Creativity should be able to translate complex issues into a language that can be understood by the public without losing the substance of the issue itself.

The presence of “Kita Yang Menulis Cerita” can be seen as an effort to find a form of communication that is closer to students. Sensitive and heavy issues are conveyed through a more familiar medium, which can open up broader discussion spaces.

However, the courage to raise the issue of sexual violence through a film should not stop at the production of the work.

Film can indeed open the door to conversation, but education, protection mechanisms, clear reporting channels, and the courage to act are essential parts of determining whether that conversation truly leads to change.

This short film can also be seen as a relevant communication step because sensitive issues, including sexual violence and bullying, need to be discussed with an approach that is acceptable to students.

However, from here arises an important question: is a film enough to create change?

In my opinion, this is where the boundary between communication and change needs to be distinguished.

A message can be said to be successfully communicated when the audience understands what is being conveyed. However, the success of social communication should not stop at the level of understanding.

When the issue being discussed is sexual violence, the next question becomes far more important: is the message capable of encouraging the creation of a safer campus environment? Do students know what to do when facing or learning about similar incidents? Are there reliable response and protection mechanisms?

The issue of sexual violence on campus is not only related to a lack of student knowledge. The problem can also be related to the fear of speaking up, environmental indifference, power relations, a culture of silence, and doubts about what will happen after someone dares to share their experience or file a report.

Therefore, film should not be placed as the final point of a campus's courage in raising the issue of sexual violence.

Film can actually be a starting point toward a broader conversation regarding continuous education, easily understood reporting mechanisms, appropriate responses, and protection for those in need.

Works like “Kita Yang Menulis Cerita” have the opportunity to make students pause, look at the issue from a different perspective, and then re-examine how the campus environment should treat the issue of sexual violence.

Ultimately, a safe space is not formed only through slogans or a single film. A safe space requires systems, the courage to listen, a commitment to responsible handling processes, and the willingness of the entire campus environment not to normalize violence.

Film can open conversations and foster awareness. However, film is not the end.

In fact, after the screen finishes playing and the story ends, the real question begins: what will be done after we know that this issue exists around us?

“Kita Yang Menulis Cerita” can be an opener. Meanwhile, true change requires continuity, concrete action, and a commitment to ensuring that the campus truly becomes a safe space for everyone.