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Pregnant rape victim reports cleric to police
A pregnant rape victim has reported a 63-year-old cleric to the Jakarta Police for allegedly raping her under hypnosis in July last year
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pregnant rape victim has reported a 63-year-old cleric to the Jakarta Police for allegedly raping her under hypnosis in July last year.
The Indonesian Legal Aid and Human Rights Association (PBHI) revealed Wednesday that the victim, 16, decided to report the rapist to the police and refuse his marriage proposal.
The PBHI had helped the teenager, who is now seven months pregnant, report the cleric to the police on Jan. 11.
The cleric is the leader of Darun Nadwah Islamic boarding school in Cikupa, Tangerang, Banten province, where the victim was a pupil.
“Thus far, the police have yet to decide which investigators will handle the case.
“They promised to inform us soon,” Gandhi, a staff member of the PBHI for advocation, said after accompanying the girl and her family at a meeting with the National Commission for Children’s Protection on Wednesday.
Gandhi said that the PBHI was asking for commission support in urging the police to immediately process the case.
It would also seek support from the National Commission for Women, he added.
The PBHI has prepared witnesses and evidence to back up the case.
“Tomorrow we will send a letter requesting the police accelerate its probe into the case,” Arist Merdeka Sirait, the general secretary of the commission, told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday.
He added that his commission would also provide some psychologists to help heal the victim from trauma caused by the incident.
“We ask the victim and her parents be strong in this time,” he said.
The victim said that she had refused a marriage offer from the cleric’s family and preferred to give birth and take care of the child by herself.
“We have decided to end the case through the court.
“I hope he is severely sentenced,” she said.
The incident took place at the Cikupa boarding school on July 19, 2009. The girl was allegedly called by the cleric.
“The cleric hypnotized me. When I awoke, I was in his room and I felt a pain,” the victim said.
In early January this year, the family of the cleric came to the victim’s house offering a marriage proposal while asking not to take the case to the police.
Hodijah, the victim’s mother, said that her family wanted to file the case.
“He has ruined my daughter’s future.
“I am also disappointed at the cleric’s initial denial of his actions, accusing another man,” Hodijah said.
Hodijah added that she would help her daughter raise the child and support her decision to continue studying.
