Indonesian woman with mental disorder locked and chained for 20 years

Indonesian woman with mental disorder locked and chained for 20 years

2011-01-21 12:17:40 GMT+7 (ICT)

JAKARTA, INDONESIA (BNO NEWS) -- A 41-year-old Indonesian woman suffering from a mental disorder has been locked up and chained by her parents for 20 years in a small room, the Jakarta Post reported Thursday.

In 1990, a military officer forced Samsudin Purba, the father of Butet, 41, to lock her up in a room about 60 feet behind his house - located in the Kutacane district in the southeastern region of Aceh, Sumatra - because she had begun stealing things from neighbors and acted violently. During one night, a group of men forced themselves into her room and ganged raped her.

However, Butet's parents did not believe her when she talked about the incident, believing she was crazy. Nonetheless, she became pregnant and gave birth to a child, who was given to a relative.

Butet was born normally but during her last year in high school she became stressed, and failing to find a job after graduating, she fled to the Indonsian capital of Jakarta. However, she was still unable to find employment and returned to her home, where she was soon locked up.

Following the rape incident, Butet's parents tried finding a solution to her mental problems, selling some of their land and valuables to pay doctors and clinics, but they were unable to to find a cure.

Purba died in 2005 and Butet suffered from another sexual molestation. She was later taken to another house in Simulangan where she continued to be chained. Her brother, who was also suffering from a mental disorder had also been locked and chained in a separate room.

News reporters have approached the family and when they asked Butet's mother, Bungangi, why she has decided to lock and chain her children in a room, she stated that she preferred watching her children die than being killed by other people.

According to reports, local authorities were not aware of the incident, but they have reportedly promised to help the family and look into the situation.

-- © BNO News All rights reserved 2011-01-21