Expert Says Confinement Acts Stem from Power Imbalance

The phenomenon of confinement occurring in several regions of Indonesia recently has drawn public attention. From a case in Bandung, the confinement of an employee in Central Jakarta, to an act of confinement by a married couple in Tasikmalaya, these incidents show an unusual pattern of crime compared to conventional assault. Forensic Psychology expert Reza Indragiri Amriel explained the main factor driving perpetrators to choose confinement over mere physical abuse or verbal threats. Generally, this extreme action is rooted in the perpetrator’s need to satisfy control and dominance over the victim. “The universal theory is almost certainly an unbalanced power relation. The weak become a target for the strong,” Reza said when contacted on Tuesday (30/6). He stated that confinement is not merely a physical restriction of movement. The act of cutting off communication and totally isolating the victim is deliberately carried out by the perpetrator to target the victim’s psychological state. Through this isolation method, the perpetrator can create total dependency, induce intense fear, and break down the victim’s mentality. This makes the perpetrator’s position highly dominant and gives them absolute control over the victim. Although there is a common thread of extreme power imbalance, Reza reminded law enforcement and the public not to generalise all cases. In-depth investigations must still be conducted to uncover the specific motives of each incident. “Each situation should be examined independently to identify its unique characteristics,” Reza continued.