Maid abuse explained

Maid abuse is the maltreatment or neglect of a person hired as a domestic worker, especially by the employer or by a household member of the employer. It is any act or failure to act that results in harm to that employee.[1] It takes on numerous forms, including physical, sexual, emotional, and economic abuse. The majority of perpetrators tend to be female employers and their children.[2] These acts may be committed for a variety of reasons, including to instil fear in the victim, discipline them, or act in a way desired by the abuser.

The United States Human Trafficking Hotline describes maid abuse as a form of human trafficking— it is "force, fraud, or coercion to maintain control over the worker and to cause the worker to believe that he or she has no other choice but to continue with the work," they stated.[3] Although it can occur anywhere, it is most commonly experienced amongst domestic workers in Singapore.

Prevalence

Maid abuse, though a global phenomenon, is especially prevalent in Singapore. According to a study by Research Across Borders, six out of ten Singaporean domestic workers experience some form of abuse at work. One in four reported physical violence.[4] Additionally, one in seven Singaporeans have witnessed maid abuse.[5]

Foreign domestic workers, who have come to the country seeking employment, are at high risk of abuse. As maids are the only migrant workers not protected under the country's Singapore's Employment Act, many end up in abusive situations. This is amplified due to the fact that foreign domestic worker contracts in Singapore lack live-out options; foreign maids reside in the same residence as their employers.[6] Mistreatment of Singaporean foreign domestic workers is not uncommon and is widely detailed. They are subject to physical abuse,[7] [8] invasion of privacy, and sexual assault (including rape).[9] [10]

Legislation

Singapore

In Singapore, it is against the law to abuse a foreign domestic worker. The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) says that perpetrators face severe penalties; if convicted, the perpetrator may face prison time, caning, or be fined as much as $20,000.[11] The perpetrator will also be banned from further employment of foreign domestic workers.[12]

Malaysia

In Malaysia, abused foreign domestic workers can obtain visas so that they may stay in the country to pursue legal complaints; the same is true in the United States.[13]

Notable cases

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: ClinicalKey. 2021-07-03. www.clinicalkey.com.
  2. Cheung. J. T. K.. Tsoi. V. W. Y.. Wong. K. H. K.. Chung. R. Y.. 2019-01-01. Abuse and depression among Filipino foreign domestic helpers. A cross-sectional survey in Hong Kong. Public Health. 166. 121–127. 10.1016/j.puhe.2018.09.020. 1476-5616. 30476780. 53760079.
  3. Web site: Domestic Work. 2021-07-03. National Human Trafficking Hotline. en.
  4. Web site: Ben Westcott and Katie Hunt. 2017-11-28. Most Singapore foreign domestic workers exploited, survey says. 2021-07-03. CNN. en.
  5. Web site: Half of Singaporeans think domestic helpers should be paid less than SGD 600 a month. 2021-07-03. YouGov: What the world thinks. en-SG.
  6. Web site: Welle (www.dw.com). Deutsche. Singapore domestic workers 'suffer exploitation and abuse' DW 28.03.2019. 2021-07-03. DW.COM. en-GB.
  7. Web site: Woman on trial for abusing maid; asked her to shower in front of her, assaulted her privates. 2021-07-03. CNA. en.
  8. Web site: Woman asked maid to punch herself 50 times, strike her teeth with meat pounder until they 'dropped'. 2021-07-03. CNA. en.
  9. Web site: Man gets jail, caning for raping maid after asking her for massage. 2021-07-03. CNA. en.
  10. Web site: hermes. 2016-11-15. First conviction in Singapore of employer raping maid. 2021-07-03. The Straits Times. en.
  11. Web site: Goh. Gerome. 2020-06-22. Maid Abuse in Singapore: Getting Help and Legal Penalties. 2021-07-03. SingaporeLegalAdvice.com. en.
  12. Web site: Abuse and ill-treatment of a foreign domestic worker. 2021-07-03. Ministry of Manpower Singapore. en.
  13. 2006-07-27. Swept Under the Rug. 2021-07-03. Human Rights Watch. en.
  14. Web site: 2002-07-19. Public Prosecutor v Ng Hua Chye.
  15. Web site: 2009-04-01. Plight of the maid: report lifts lid on global suffering. 2021-07-03. The Independent. en.
  16. Web site: Public Prosecutor v Sundarti Supriyanto. Supreme Court judgements. 24 September 2004. 19 September 2021.
  17. Web site: SURPRISE VERDICT: MAID WHO KILLED BOSS GETS LIFE. 19 September 2021. Facebook.
  18. Book: Dreamseekers: Indonesian Women as Domestic Workers in Asia. Dewi Anggraeni. 2006. Equinox . 9789793780283. 19 September 2021.
  19. Web site: hermesauto. 2021-06-22. 30 years' jail for woman who starved and tortured Myanmar maid to death. 2021-07-03. The Straits Times. en.
  20. News: Fatal maid abuse: Woman gets more jail time for asking police officer son-in-law to remove CCTV recorder . TODAY . 26 June 2023.
  21. News: 18 May 2023. Myanmar maid who stabbed employer's mother-in-law 26 times found guilty of murder . The Straits Times.
  22. News: Myanmar maid who stabbed employer's mum-in-law 26 times gets life term for murder . The Straits Times. 4 July 2023.