Public Humiliation-Indonesia

J lives in Irian Jaya. She was married before but her husband left her, so she decided to marry again. Her sister disagreed with her plans and they had a huge fight. Troops from the Indonesian army came by to inquire into the disturbance and took J, her sister and the husband-to-be into custody. They resolved the dispute and released them, asking J and her boyfriend to come back the next day. When they returned the next day, the soldiers asked them to remove their clothes. She resisted so they stripped her. She and her boyfriend were then requested to walk hand in hand into the sea. They stayed in the water for about an hour. Then the soldiers put an elevated board on the beach. They were told to come out of the water and to lie on the board. Her boyfriend was then forced to rape her. Two soldiers held her legs, two held her arms and her boyfriend was forced to have intercourse with her. The other soldiers watched, and some even took photographs. After that she and her boyfriend were paraded naked around the village. The boyfriend was asked to beat a drum and soldiers followed carrying rifles. When they had walked around the village, they returned to the army post, were given their clothes and told to go home. / Case interview, Jakarta, November 1998./