Volume 14 (2025) Download Cover Page

Framework for Bullying Mitigation Through the "Harmonious Ambassador" Campaign in Secondary Educational Institutions in Medan City

Article Number: e2025082  |  Published Online: March 2025  |  DOI: 10.22521/edupij.2025.14.82

Humaizi , Bahtiar Mohamad , Sofiari Ananda , Endah Rundika Pratiwi

Abstract

Background/purpose. This study aims to develop and assess the effectiveness of a sexual harassment handling model through the "Courageous Campus" campaign, which is based on educational outreach in higher education institutions in Medan city. The urgency of this campaign is underscored by the increasing cases of sexual harassment in the academic environment, which not only threaten security but also affect the comfort and academic achievement of students.

Materials/methods. The methodology employed in this study involves a qualitative approach, utilizing participatory and non-participatory observation, in-depth interviews, and focus group discussions to gather data. Data were analyzed using NVivo software to facilitate the coding and categorization of main themes, which helped in identifying significant patterns and insights related to the campaign's impact on raising awareness about sexual harassment.

Results. The results indicate that the educational campaign has successfully increased awareness and engagement within the campus community in efforts to prevent and handle sexual harassment. Notable behavioral and policy changes at the university concerning sexual harassment issues point to the effectiveness of the campaign in fostering a change in campus culture towards greater safety and inclusivity.

Conclusion. The findings suggest that integrating educational initiatives with strong legal protection and psychological support is crucial as part of a comprehensive strategy to combat sexual harassment on campus. The research underscores the necessity for a holistic and participatory approach in the campaign, which can significantly influence the creation of a safer learning environment.

Keywords: Harmonious ambassador, school anti-bullying campaign, bullying mitigation

References

Ali, N. Al. (2025). Examining the Impact of a School-Based Bullying Education Program on Students’ Knowledge of Bullying, Bullying Behavior, and Self-Esteem. International Journal of Adolescence and Youth, 30(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/02673843.2025.2454997

Alzayani, N. (2021). Resolving bullying in terms of workload management in the public education sector after COVID-19 remote working experience. In 2021 Sustainable Leadership and Academic Excellence International Conference, SLAE 2021 (Vol. 2021). https://doi.org/10.1109/SLAE54202.2021.9788078

Aslan, H. (2025). Bullying Among Special Education Students. Psychological Reports. https://doi.org/10.1177/00332941251314705 

Bandura, A. (2023). Social Modeling and Psychological Processes of Observational Learning. In Social Cognitive Theory. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781394259069.ch2

Beitz, J. M. (2022). Psychometric Development of an Instrument Measuring Academic Social Bullying in Nursing Higher Education: Continuing Content and Construct Validation. Journal of Nursing Measurement, 30(2), 186–209. https://doi.org/10.1891/JNM-D-D21-00026

Berchiatti, M. (2022). Bullying in Students with Special Education Needs and Learning Difficulties: The Role of the Student–Teacher Relationship Quality and Students’ Social Status in the Peer Group. Child and Youth Care Forum, 51(3), 515–537. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10566-021-09640-2

Bork-Hüffer, T., Mahlknecht, B., & Kaufmann, K. (2020). (Cyber)Bullying in schools–when bullying stretches across cON/FFlating spaces. Children’s Geographies. https://doi.org/10.1080/14733285.2020.1784850

Borowiec, J. (2022). Victims and Perpetrators of Bullying in Physical Education Lessons: The Role of Peer Support, Weight Status, Gender, and Age in Polish Adolescents. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 37(17). https://doi.org/10.1177/08862605211017257

Borualogo, I. S., & Casas, F. (2021). Subjective Well-Being of Bullied Children in Indonesia. Applied Research in Quality of Life, 16(2). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11482-019-09778-1

Branch, S., Ramsay, S., Shallcross, L., Hedges, A., & Barker, M. (2021). Exploring Upwards Bullying to Learn More About Workplace Bullying. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-0935-9_11 

Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2022). Thematic Analysis: A Practical Guide. QMiP Bulletin, 1(33). https://doi.org/10.53841/bpsqmip.2022.1.33.46

Bronfenbrenner, U. (2021). The Macrosystem and Human Development. In The Ecology of Human Development. https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctv26071r6.15

Bronfenbrenner. (1979). The Ecology of Human Development: Experiments by Nature and Design. Cambridge. Encyclopedia of Quality of Life and Well-Being Research.

Carless, D. (2019). Feedback loops and the longer-term: towards feedback spirals. Assessment and Evaluation in Higher Education, 44(5). https://doi.org/10.1080/02602938.2018.1531108

Choi, J. (2022). Bullying Victimization, Social Withdrawal, and Problematic Internet Use: A Moderated Mediation Model of Parental Involvement in Education among Korean Adolescents. Child Indicators Research, 15(5), 1889–1903. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12187-022-09934-4

Creswell, J. W., & Creswell, J. D. (2022). Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods Approaches 6th edition - John W. Creswell, J. David Creswell - SAGE. In SAGE Publications, Inc.

Dardiri, A., Hanum, F., & Raharja, S. (2020). The bullying behavior in vocational schools and its correlation with school stakeholders. International Journal of Instruction, 13(2). https://doi.org/10.29333/iji.2020.13247a

Darling-Hammond, L., & Cook-Harvey, C. (2018). Educating the whole child: Improving school climate to support student success. Learning Policy Institute., September.

Espelage, D. L. (2023). Pilot Evaluation of DIsability Anti-BuLlying (DIAL) Training for Elementary Special and General Education Teachers: Impact on Teacher Self-Efficacy Attitudes Toward Bullying and Student Outcomes. International Journal of Bullying Prevention, 6. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42380-023-00168-8

Fandrem, H. (2024). What is a safe and good learning environment in a diverse classroom? Bias-based bullying and religious education in Norwegian schools. In Handbook of School Violence, Bullying and Safety (pp. 390–402). Edward Elgar Publishing Ltd. https://doi.org/10.4337/9781035301362.00041

Firdaus, E. (2025). Investigating factors influencing bullying behavior reduction and gender differences in higher education: A structural equation modeling approach. Acta Psychologica, 253. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actpsy.2025.104747

Frois, T. (2021). Students of physical education from concepted public universities partially know the bullying concept. In Journal of Physical Education (Maringa) (Vol. 32, Issue 1). https://doi.org/10.4025/jphyseduc.v32i1.3246

Gizzarelli, E., Burns, S., & Francis, J. (2023). Exploring Primary School Staff Responses to Student Reports of Bullying in Australia: A Qualitative Study. International Journal of Bullying Prevention. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42380-023-00190-w

Gusfre, K. S., Støen, J., & Fandrem, H. (2023). Bullying by Teachers Towards Students—a Scoping Review. International Journal of Bullying Prevention, 5(4). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42380-022-00131-z

Heyder, A., Südkamp, A., & Steinmayr, R. (2020). How are teachers’ attitudes toward inclusion related to the social-emotional school experiences of students with and without special educational needs? Learning and Individual Differences, 77. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lindif.2019.101776 

Hollis, L. P. (2022). Universal Declaration of Human Rights: An argument for higher education to prohibit workplace bullying. Policy Futures in Education, 20(2), 234–239. https://doi.org/10.1177/14782103211032093

Jeffrey, J., & Stuart, J. (2020). Do Research Definitions of Bullying Capture the Experiences and Understandings of Young People? A Qualitative Investigation into the Characteristics of Bullying Behaviour. International Journal of Bullying Prevention, 2(3). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42380-019-00026-6

Johander, E., Turunen, T., Garandeau, C. F., & Salmivalli, C. (2021). Different Approaches to Address Bullying in KiVa Schools: Adherence to Guidelines, Strategies Implemented, and Outcomes Obtained. Prevention Science, 22(3). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11121-020-01178-4

Kenny, N., McCoy, S., & O’Higgins Norman, J. (2023). A Whole Education Approach to Inclusive Education: An Integrated Model to Guide Planning, Policy, and Provision. Education Sciences, 13(9). https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci13090959

Khan, N. A., & Abedin, S. (2022). Focus Group Discussion. In Principles of Social Research Methodology. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-19-5441-2_26

Kintonova, A., Vasyaev, A., & Shestak, V. (2021). Cyberbullying and cyber-mobbing in developing countries. Information and Computer Security, 29(3). https://doi.org/10.1108/ICS-02-2020-0031

Lekhal, R. (2024). Bullying of students who receive special education services for learning and behaviour difficulties in Norway. International Journal of Inclusive Education, 28(8), 1372–1389. https://doi.org/10.1080/13603116.2021.1991487

Longobardi, C. (2022). Correction to: The links between students’ relationships with teachers, likeability among peers, and bullying victimization: the intervening role of teacher responsiveness (European Journal of Psychology of Education, (2022), 37, 2, (489-506), 10.1007/s10. In European Journal of Psychology of Education (Vol. 37, Issue 2, pp. 507–508). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10212-021-00555-z

Murillo-Moraño, J. (2025). Influence of School Bullying on Motivation in Physical Education Classes. Journal of School Violence, 24(1), 64–80. https://doi.org/10.1080/15388220.2024.2393144

Noboru, T., Amalia, E., Hernandez, P. M. R., Nurbaiti, L., Affarah, W. S., Nonaka, D., Takeuchi, R., Kadriyan, H., & Kobayashi, J. (2021). School-based education to prevent bullying in high schools in Indonesia. Pediatrics International, 63(4). https://doi.org/10.1111/ped.14475

Park, M. (2023). Development and Evaluation of a Workplace Bullying Cognitive Rehearsal-Based Nursing Simulation Education Program: A Mixed-Methods Study. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 20(6). https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20064974

Portelada, A. (2024). Teacher Well-Being Under Threat: The Consequences of Workplace Bullying from Preschool to Higher Education. Education Sciences, 14(11). https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci14111175

Ríos, X. (2023). “We’ve Never Studied Bullying at University:” Bullying-Related Beliefs, Training, and Strategies Among Physical Education Preservice Teachers. Journal of Teaching in Physical Education, 42(3), 556–562. https://doi.org/10.1123/jtpe.2022-0124

Ritonga, A. R., Veronica, A., Ginting, L. D. C. U., Dalimunthe, M. A., & Nasution, L. H. (2024). Library promotion in the development of the Universitas Sumatera Utara towards a world-class university. Journal of Infrastructure, Policy and Development, 8(6), 1–19. https://doi.org/10.24294/jipd.v8i6.4149

Ritonga, A., Thamrin, M., Siahaan, H., Dalimunthe, M., & Nur’aini, N. (2024). Promotion of ecotourism and communication policy in increasing tourists in Indonesia. Journal of Infrastructure, Policy and Development, 8(8), 4764. https://doi.org/10.24294/jipd.v8i8.4764

Saǧin, A. E. (2022). Bullying in Physical Education: Awareness of Physical Education Teachers. Physical Culture and Sport, Studies and Research, 95(1), 40–53. https://doi.org/10.2478/pcssr-2022-0010

Sansait, J. R. M., Aguiling-Saldaña, G. F., & Retiracion, P. M. A. (2023). Does the type of school matter in preventing bullying? Knowledge, experience, and readiness to face bullying by students enrolled in public and private schools in the Philippines. Social Sciences and Humanities Open, 8(1). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssaho.2023.100530

Shelley, W. W., Pickett, J. T., Mancini, C., McDougle, R. D., Rissler, G., & Cleary, H. (2021). Race, Bullying, and Public Perceptions of School and University Safety. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 36(1–2). https://doi.org/10.1177/0886260517736272

Smith, P. K. (2016). Bullying: Definition, Types, Causes, Consequences and Intervention. Social and Personality Psychology Compass, 10(9). https://doi.org/10.1111/spc3.12266

Söderberg, P., & Björkqvist, K. (2020). Victimization from Peer Aggression and/or Bullying: Prevalence, Overlap, and Psychosocial Characteristics. Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment and Trauma, 29(2). https://doi.org/10.1080/10926771.2019.1570410

Strohmeier, D. (2024). Correction to: Students as victims of bullying by teachers: Longitudinal antecedents and consequences (Social Psychology of Education, (2024), 27, 6, (2967-2990), 10.1007/s11218-024-09931-1). In Social Psychology of Education (Vol. 27, Issue 6, pp. 2991–2992). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11218-024-09946-8

Sullivan, T. N., Washington-Nortey, P. M., Sutherland, K. S., Hitti, S. A., & Farrell, A. D. (2021). Supports and Barriers for the Implementation of the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program in Urban Middle Schools in Low-Income Areas. School Mental Health, 13(2). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12310-021-09420-2

Tay, E. M. K. (2024). Exploring the relationship between the learning environment and bullying: PLS-SEM evidence from Norwegian higher education. Learning Environments Research, 27(3), 691–725. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10984-024-09497-x

Vidourek, R. A., King, K. A., & Merianos, A. L. (2016). School bullying and student trauma: Fear and avoidance associated with victimization. Journal of Prevention and Intervention in the Community, 44(2). https://doi.org/10.1080/10852352.2016.1132869

Volk, A. A., Dane, A. V., & Marini, Z. A. (2014). What is bullying? A theoretical redefinition. In Developmental Review (Vol. 34, Issue 4). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dr.2014.09.001

Wahidah, A., ZM, H., Syafruddin, Ilyas, M., Malik, I., & Amalia, S. M. (2024). Penerapan Nilai-Nilai Multikultural Guna Mencegah Praktek Bullying Pada Siswa di SMA Mataram. Jurnal Abdi Insani, 11(1). https://doi.org/10.29303/abdiinsani.v11i1.1367

Wallace, W. C. (2024). Student on student bullying in higher education: case studies from Trinidad and Tobago. International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education, 37(7), 2129–2143. https://doi.org/10.1080/09518398.2023.2264245

Weinreich, L., Haberstroh, S., Schulte-Körne, G., & Moll, K. (2023). The relationship between bullying, learning disorders and psychiatric comorbidity. BMC Psychiatry, 23(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-023-04603-4

Weyant, E. (2022). Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods Approaches, 5th Edition. Journal of Electronic Resources in Medical Libraries, 19(1–2). https://doi.org/10.1080/15424065.2022.2046231

Xin, C. (2021). The intervention of bullying in middle schools under the concept of “moral and Psychological Education.” In ACM International Conference Proceeding Series (pp. 188–192). https://doi.org/10.1145/3456887.3456929

Yin, R. K. (2018). Case Study Research and Applications Design and Methods (6th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA Sage. Scientific Research Publishing.

Zheng, J. (2025). A qualitative study on the experiences and coping strategies of nursing interns facing bullying in nursing education. Nurse Education Today, 146. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2024.106538

Announcement

EDUPIJ Citation Metrics

EDUPIJ News!

► Educational Process International Journal has changed to publish in article number order instead of in page range order beginning with Volume 14 (2025).