Sexual violence stalks girls in Mentawai

Protection for girls in traditional communities from sexual violence is very minimal, making them vulnerable to becoming victims.

The following article was translated using both Microsoft Azure Open AI and Google Translation AI. The original article can be found in Kekerasan Seksual Mengintai Anak-anak Perempuan di Mentawai

KOMPAS/YOLA SASTRA

The atmosphere around a uma, a traditional Mentawai house, is idyllic in Buttui Hamlet, Madobag Village, South Siberut District, Mentawai Islands, West Sumatra, at the end of July 2022.

Development programs that target traditional territories in an area can be a new disaster for indigenous communities when social changes occur. This is what happened to a number of indigenous communities in the Mentawai Islands, West Sumatra, after participating in a resettlement program.

Since the 1970s, a number of Mentawai indigenous people who previously lived for generations in big houses (uma) were moved to new settlements (villages) built by the government. Uma, which was built in the middle of a field/garden, was inhabited by a large family who had the same kinship and lineage.

In new settlements, people live far from the fields and gardens that are their sources of livelihood. To reach the fields, they need time, which means leaving their homes and children for a long period. They leave in the morning and come back in the evening.

Also read: Surviving amidst the Power of Patriarchy

Another impact that is experienced is the changing patterns of child-rearing and protection. When living in the village, parents can monitor their children. Fields/gardens that are integrated with the residence allow for this to be done.

However, the absence of parental supervision makes children vulnerable to violence. This is especially true for girls who are vulnerable to becoming victims of rape and other sexual violence. Ironically, the perpetrator was a close relative, as is the case in general.

KOMPAS/YOLA SASTRA

Elementary school children walk along the newly opened trans-Mentawai road in Buttui Hamlet, Madobag Village, towards SD 24 Madobag, South Siberut District, Mentawai Islands, West Sumatra, at the end of July 2022.

When such cases occur within indigenous communities, they often remain hidden. Even if they are exposed, the perpetrators are not easily touched, let alone brought to court.

A study on sexual violence against indigenous and minority communities conducted by Partnership institution together with the Anthropology Laboratory (Laura) of Gadjah Mada University (UGM) in Malancan Village, North Siberut District, Mentawai Islands Regency, West Sumatra, has discovered such a phenomenon. The findings reveal incidents of sexual violence against indigenous children while they are left alone at home.

Mentawai is one of the targets of the Estungkara Program (equality to eliminate injustice and discrimination) by the Indonesian Partnership in indigenous territories in Indonesia. During an ethnographic research for about three months (September-November 2023), several young girls in Malancan became victims of rape by their own relatives while their parents worked in the fields/plantations.

There is a very visible change in the livelihoods of the Mentawai people in the past and now.

K (13), a girl with disabilities, was raped by her relative, G (70), who was her grandfather. The victim and his parents lived in a village where only 13 families lived. K experienced repeated rape and sexual violence from his grandfather while his parents were in the fields.

KOMPAS/YOLA SASTRA

The atmosphere of the Mentawai tribe community settlement in the interior of Siberut Island in Bekkeiluk Hamlet, Muntei Village, South Siberut District, Mentawai Islands, West Sumatra, at the end of September 2023.

Despite experiencing trauma, K is not daring to tell their parents about what happened to them. One time, they had the opportunity to meet someone they deemed trustworthy. Yet, their confession was not believed. Even their own parents did not believe them and hit them.

This case was finally able to be revealed and processed by the police after the parents contacted a respected traditional figure. The case was then reported to the police. The victim was examined and proven to have suffered sexual violence. The perpetrator was prosecuted, but ultimately released due to a previous suicide attempt.

It is difficult for the perpetrator to be touched by the law. Perpetrator G, apart from being the grandfather of the victim's tribe, also has a high social position as a community leader, religious leader and traditional leader. G is also a sikirei (traditional medicine expert).

"So, it's difficult for a young child to fight alone," said Santi Dwiningsih, a researcher from Laura UGM, during a discussion on the results of research on Sexual Violence in Indigenous and Minority Ethnic Communities, last week.

Also read: Back Door Marriage and Slavery, Snares of Sexual Violence for Sumbanese Women

The case of K is just one of the many cases of sexual violence found in the research. How vulnerable young girls are in the Mentawai indigenous community to experiencing sexual violence when the community moves from uma to new settlements.

The very close kinship pattern when the Mentawai indigenous community still lived in uma almost no longer exists today. However, when they lived in uma with their extended family, there were traditional figures who played important roles in controlling and carrying out their customary functions.

KOMPAS/IWAN SETIYAWAN

Mentawai indigenous residents relaxing in one of the uma (traditional houses) in Buttui Hamlet, Madobag Village, South Siberut District, Mentawai Islands Regency, at the end of July 2022.

"There is a very visible change in the livelihoods of the Mentawai people in the past and now," said Santi.

Weak supervision

In the past, Mentawai people hunted and gathered and lived in harmony. However, nowadays, they have to work hard in the fields, gardens, planting rice, and so on.

"I hardly have enough time to pay attention to their children at home. So, their children are left alone, without supervision, without friends," said Santi.

Actually, in Malancan Village, there is already Village Regulation Number 01 of 2022 which regulates cases of rape and adultery. This regulation was compiled with the aim of standardizing the differences in customary fine procedures and the amount of customary fines in Malancan Village, which often trigger disputes between tribes.

Also read: Recovery of Neglected Women Victims in Restorative Justice

However, in practice, customary fines do not deter sexual violence perpetrators. Customary fines are also powerless when faced with sexual violence perpetrators who hold power, such as those who are elderly or landowners according to tradition. Customary fines are also not related to the care and recovery of victims, both physically, mentally, and socioculturally.

That's why, even though customary law in Mentawai has been formalized into local regulations, those rules are seldom used to resolve cases of sexual violence. As a result, cases of sexual violence continue to occur.

SHARON PATRICIA

Laode M Sharif

Executive Director of the Indonesia Partnership, Laode M Syarif, hopes that the findings from the research will move the hearts of all parties, especially the government, to improve policies on child protection, women's protection, and indigenous community protection in Indonesia.

Kompas also encountered sexual violence experienced by girls in the Mentawai indigenous community when visiting several villages in the Mentawai Islands, mid-2023. A number of children indigenous girls became victims of sexual violence, but the resolution of the case is carried out according to custom without considering the interests of the victim.

Usually, in resolving cases of sexual violence, the perpetrator is sentenced to pay a customary fine (tulou) in the form of pork and items considered valuable as well as money. The amount of the customary fine depends on the decision of the traditional leader (who is also the local government).

See also: Sexual Violence Cases in the Last Year

KOMPAS/SONYA HELLEN SINOMBOR

The atmosphere of one of the hamlets in Malancan Village, North Siberut, Mentawai Islands, West Sumatra, mid-2023.

Anthropologist Tarida Hernawati (49) revealed that the strong patriarchy culture in Mentawai culture makes women's position very weak. In solving cases of sexual violence, payment of fines is considered sufficient, while the recovery of the victim is never a concern.

So, one of the recommendations from Research on Sexual Violence in Indigenous Peoples and Ethnic Minorities is the need to strengthen the capacity of traditional elders and mediators (sipatalaga) in handling sexual violence from a gender justice perspective. Apart from that, it is necessary to inherit traditional leadership (including mediators) who have the capacity to resolve sexual violence fairly as quickly as possible. Strengthening this capacity is also important for local assistance institutions, police and judicial institutions in remote areas.

The government needs to open the widest possible access for indigenous peoples to access justice through the implementation of the Sexual Violence Crime Law.