Woman sues rapist for breaking vow

Woman sues rapist for breaking vow

JAKARTA (JP): An 18-year-old woman is suing a man who raped
her and then renaged on his promise to marry her.

Yati (not her real name), who lives in Pondok Kopi, Bekasi,
reported the case to the police in March after she received a
wedding invitation from the rapist, her former English teacher.

The man, Hus, had broken his promise to marry her, she told
her lawyer from the Jakarta Social Institute, Anton Prajasto.

Anton said yesterday that the woman decided to seek help from
the Institute, a non-governmental organization in East Jakarta
which provides legal aid, as she felt the police's progress was
slow.

"Police say the case is weak as it happened three years ago,"
he said, but added he is going to take the case -- and meet Yati
today -- as it involves alleged rape against a minor.

When summoned by the police shortly after Yati made her
report, Hus, an employee at a private company in Central Jakarta,
admitted the deed and offered compensation of Rp 3.5 million
(US$1,500), Anton said.

However the family turned down the offer. They were offended
as Hus' parents had also agreed that Hus would marry Yati.

Anton said the two got acquainted when Hus rented a room in
her family's home in the Bentara subdistrict. He became her
private English teacher because she had difficulties at school
with the subject, he said.

In a letter to her lawyer, Yati wrote that one day in 1993 the
man locked her in a room, raped her and threatened her if she
reported the incident to anyone.

However he promised he would marry her. Hus' parents also made
a commitment to Yati's parents that their son would marry Yati.

When Yati's parents confronted Hus' parents after his wedding
the parents said one of their relatives had also been raped, "but
the solution does not have to be marriage."

Anton said Yati has the support of her aunt in pursuing her
legal action. However he said another family member might ask for
higher compensation than was offered by Hus to drop the case.

In the letter Yati said she wanted to take legal action
"because Hus may hurt other women." (anr)