A video showing an Indonesian police officer slapping a civilian has gone wildly viral since yesterday, but it turns out that there are complicated family issues behind the cop’s attack.
In the video, taken at a dangdut party, a police officer is seen slapping a woman so hard that she falls off her seat, seemingly knocked unconscious. The woman falls in front of a small child, who cries after witnessing the brutal scene.
The Central Java Police confirmed that the incident took place in Blora Regency recently, and that the cop, identified as Riyanto, is actually the victim’s uncle. After an internal investigation, Central Java Police Spokesperson Agus Triatmaja revealed that Riyanto slapped his niece because he was embarrassed by how she dressed (she was wearing a pink t-shirt and pink shorts, neither of which were revealing).
“[The officer] was asked to keep an eye out on the victim, who consistently shames the family. She often dressed inappropriately vulgar. Her mother is embarrassed [of her],” Agus said, as quoted by Detik on Tuesday.
“[Riyanto] could not contain his anger, so he slapped the victim.”
The victim shaming didn’t stop there, with the National Police getting involved by revealing details about the victim’s private life and her supposedly out-of-control lifestyle, which contributed to Riyanto’s frustrations.
“The victim has, for a couple of years, suffered from mental instability because her husband left her,” said National Police Spokesperson Syahar Diantono, as quoted by Detik yesterday.
“Several times already there were reports of the victim being out of control, dancing and drinking on the streets.”
Even so, Syahar warned other officers not to react the way Riyanto did since cops are meant to protect citizens (duh).
“Regardless, if the person is family or not — especially if they’re not family — cops shouldn’t do things like that,” he said.
Meanwhile, Riyanto has apologized to the victim and will receive an as-of-yet unspecified internal sanction, though not a criminal charge.
The victim’s whereabouts are currently unknown, with police speculating without evidence that she had gone on another drunken escapade.
