Bali authorities urge visitors to report harassment at arts festival

Bali's Civil Service Police (Satpol PP) are urging visitors to the Bali Arts Festival (PKB) to immediately report any security concerns or harassment to designated posts. This call comes after numerous complaints of alleged sexual harassment against female attendees went viral on social media platforms.

Satpol PP Bali Chief Dewa Nyoman Rai Darmadi stated that no official reports have been filed regarding the viral incidents. He emphasized the critical need for prompt reporting from victims, as it allows patrol officers to respond swiftly to the scene. "There have been no reports to the security team at PKB regarding the case of the person in question. They should report to the security post if something like this happens. There are officers at the post, so if there's a report, the patrolling officers can immediately go to the scene," Darmadi explained.

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There have been no reports to the security team at PKB regarding the case of the person in question. They should report to the security post if something like this happens. There are officers at the post, so if there's a report, the patrolling officers can immediately go to the scene.

The issue gained traction after a TikTok user shared an account of an unpleasant encounter, describing a man allegedly pressing against her with suspicious gestures in a crowded area. The comments section revealed similar experiences from other women attending the festival at night. Some users even shared a photograph of the alleged perpetrator, which was later identified by several other women who claimed to be victims. Satpol PP Bali has pledged to identify the man, collaborating with joint security forces, but Darmadi expressed skepticism about using CCTV footage for identification due to the nighttime setting and the difficulty of discerning actions in a crowd without direct reports. He urged attendees to report any issues directly to the security posts, noting that the festival continues until July 11 and expects higher visitor numbers.

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A person's thoughts or gestures in a crowd are difficult to ascertain, so they should report directly. But we will try to find the person first.