30s Woman Who Treated Friend Like a Slave Sentenced to 7 Years
"I Will Report Sexual Assault," Gaslighting Incident
A couple who gaslighted (psychologically dominated) their cohabitant, imprisoning, threatening, and abusing them like a slave for seven years, has been sentenced to prison, while the victim's side has also initiated civil litigation procedures.
On the 31st of last month, an online community 'BobaeDream' posted an article titled 'Update on the case of a younger sibling enslaved for 7 years by a devil couple.' The post is known to have been written by the victim A (34, male)'s older brother.
He expressed, "There was no sign of remorse or guilt from the perpetrators," and added, "When the judge asked if they had anything to say after the verdict, they retorted, 'Is ruining a person's life with a single word part of the legal order?'" He continued, "They have filed an appeal, but nothing will change," and "We have immediately started the civil case and plan to claim at least 87 million won in stolen money and compensation for damages on behalf of my brother."
The photo of an A4 sheet attached to the post listed the household chores A was forced to do. Specifically, the items included 'vacuuming and wiping the floor,' 'dusting the dressing table, computer desk, etc.,' 'organizing and cleaning the shoe rack,' 'doing and hanging laundry,' and 'organizing the wardrobe.'
Earlier, the Incheon District Court sentenced B (35, female), who was charged with jointly blackmailing and other offenses under the Act on the Punishment of Violent Acts, to seven years in prison, and her husband C (41) to three years and six months in prison, for enslaving A like a slave for seven years.
B was charged with assaulting and threatening A, a cohabiting opposite-sex friend, causing injury and intimidation from 2013 to 2020. It was found that after engaging in pseudo-sexual acts with A, whom she met through an acquaintance, she psychologically dominated him by threatening to accuse him of sexual assault. C, who married B in 2016, was also found to have partially participated in the crimes.
The couple chained A's legs with locks while he was sleeping and connected the chains to the microwave shelf to prevent him from leaving the house. They also extorted a total of 80 million won by threatening A to transfer cash. A left the house in 2020 and filed a police complaint against the B couple after living like a slave for seven years.
The court stated, "Considering the method and duration of the crimes, the defendants' criminal nature is very bad, yet they do not appear remorseful," and "Especially B led the crimes, making severe punishment inevitable."
It added, "C did not primarily commit most of the crimes but passively participated in the spouse's offenses," and "Considering that C's presence also partly influenced the spouse's criminal acts," explaining the sentencing rationale.
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