Effectiveness of the Justice Defender Program in Improving Knowledge of Sexual Harassment Prevention Among Karang Taruna Members

Abstract

Sexual harassment is a social issue requiring community involvement in prevention and response efforts. One viable strategy is bystander empowerment, enabling individuals to recognize high-risk situations and take safe action. This community service initiative aimed to enhance the understanding and preparedness of *Karang Taruna* (youth organization) members regarding sexual harassment prevention, its impact on victims, victim protection, the role of bystanders, and the "5D" bystander intervention strategy: Direct, Distract, Delegate, Delay, and Document. The activities employed interactive lectures, discussions, case studies, simulations, and reflection. Evaluation was conducted via pre- and post-tests involving 27 participants with paired data. Results showed an increase in the average participant score from 74.74 (pre-test) to 76.96 (post-test), a gain of 2.22 points. These findings indicate that the Justice Defender Program has the potential to strengthen participants' understanding and preparedness as bystanders in preventing sexual harassment. Program sustainability requires reinforcing the material, simulations, and "booster" sessions to ensure that improved understanding evolves into actual intervention skills and behaviors in real-life situations.

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Issue

Vol. 4 No. 3 (2026): Journal of Humanities Community Empowerment

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