Derek Cai

“I want to be free from Penjahat Cinta,” says 34-year-old Indonesian singer, actress and mother, Cut Memey.

 

She was referring to her newest single, Penjahat Cinta. Or, in English, “Criminal Love.” And it bears a striking resemblance to her personal life. Penjahat Cinta is a gender-neutral term used to refer to “destructive lovers” in relationships, says Memey.

 

Many female victims in Indonesia are trapped in cage-like abusive relationships, but they often choose to take the vow of silence for fear of social rejection. “Penjahat Cinta can refer to either a man or woman. But in my song, the Penjahat Cinta refers to a man,” she says.

 

“I’ve been in the same situation (as the song describes). I was hurt by a man many times,” she says. And when Memey sings her newest single, she performs for all the women suffering from domestic abuse, which can refer to either or both emotional and physical abuse.

 

Memey divorced her ex-husband several years ago, but it remains unclear whether he is the Penjahat Cinta the song describes. According to Indonesian paper, Suara Merdeka (The Voice of Independence), Memey said she was physically abused by her ex-husband during the length of their marriage. Memey’s mother, Neng Fatimah, affirmed that she saw the bruises on Memey’s face and body.

 

“(She) was bruised once, but she said that she fell. I often heard (him) mock her. Memey was called a slut, a prostitute. If she is like that, why on earth would he want to marry her anyway? As a mother, it’s really painful to witness all of (his) actions toward my own daughter,” said Neng.

 

“That’s the hardest part, talking about my past, because I have a new life now. But I will say this. I didn’t have any other life except for my life with him. I am an active woman. I love being productive,” says Memey, but she declined to comment further.

 

The Indonesian government has a strict policy against domestic injustice. Still, what goes on behind closed doors often escapes the authorities. In a survey conducted by the United Nations Statistical Commission, more than half the cases of domestic abuse in Indonesia remain unreported.

 

But Memey endeavors to change that statistic. Her failed relationship and eventual break away from her very own Penjahat Cinta inspired her to challenge women everywhere to be brave and speak out like she did.

 

“This isn’t a campaign. The problems with domestic violence and love is very personal. What I’m hoping is that the message in this song will change Indonesian women’s perception of relationships,” she says.

 

She wants women to be strong, to know they are not objects, and to know that they deserve respect. The single’s music video takes on the concept of “dark beauty,” says Memey. One can only consider the juxtaposition of words “dark” and “beauty” as a reflection of the female victims of Penjahat Cinta, who justify the abuse they receive with love.

 

“The video’s depicts cages as its central theme. It symbolizes women trapped in abusive relationships, who usually find it hard to escape the situation,” says Memey. “Like the main character of the song, I was hurt by a man. But now, i’m free. Now I have a new life. Now, I’m happy with my new family. I have a caring and lovable husband. And of course, my beautiful kids,” she adds, talking about her son with her current husband, and her daughter from her first marriage.

 

Memey’s past relationships inspired the single, and her best friend, Posan Tobing, wrote and composed the music for her. Tobing is the ex-drummer of well-known Indonesian band, Kotak. She was mum on the slated date for the single’s release, however.

 

Read the original article here.