What physical and sexual violence do slaves endure daily?

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Slaves in Sumba endure beatings and sexual violence carried out by maramba masters, including rape and coercive “use” of female slaves.
Slaves in East Sumba are described as being beaten and raped by their masters, with physical punishment tied to work demands and sexual violence treated as a form of authority. Accounts include a man who said he was beaten from childhood and had water thrown on him for not working enough, and an 18-year-old woman who said she was raped from age 13 by her master and his son. In cases described by rights advocates, such violence often goes unpunished because victims do not dare to testify.
Beatings and forced work tied to daily labour
One ata in his 40s from Napu said he was beaten from childhood whenever he did not work enough. He described being hit and having water thrown on him, and then being forced to work in the fields after school, feeding pigs or cooking for his master. The broader depiction is that slavery in Sumba runs “from dawn to dusk” without pay, under a system where masters and slaves live in similar conditions under the same roof.
Sexual violence framed as “normal” by those in the system
Multiple testimonies describe sexual violence as something the maramba masters can carry out without being treated as rape. A pastor said the master can “use” his maidservant and that it is considered normal, while a maramba man confirmed he would beat a female slave’s husband if she refused him. A former head of Komnas Perempuan said that if a girl is a slave, she belongs to the master, so sexual intercourse is not considered rape but using authority over one’s “belonging.”
Rape cases reported to police that remained unresolved
An 18-year-old slave reported that she had been raped since she was 13 by her master and his son, after reporting the case to police in Waingapu in 2024. Two years later, the investigation had not been concluded, and she was initially taken in by an NGO before living under protection in her village. The Indonesian Child Protection Commission urged authorities to shed light on such cases.
Violence often continues because victims do not testify
Rights activist Martha Hebi said the violence often goes unpunished because victims do not dare to testify. Her account aligns with the lack of a concluded investigation in the rape case reported in Waingapu, where the matter remained open after two years. Pastor Marlin also said the Protestant synod helps in cases of violence against women and children when victims speak up, implying that reporting is a major barrier.

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What physical and sexual violence do slaves endure daily?

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