Domestic workers recount horror stories of being sexually assaulted, beaten by employers

One of the domestic workers, 24-year-old Putri, said she fell pregnant after her male employer raped her. Photo: Asian Migrants Coordinating Body (AMCB)
One of the domestic workers, 24-year-old Putri, said she fell pregnant after her male employer raped her. Photo: Asian Migrants Coordinating Body (AMCB)

Five domestic workers gave chilling testimonies about being forced to work long hours and endure physical abuse—including sexual violence—at the hands of their employers.

At a press conference organized by rights group Asian Migrants Coordinating Body (AMCB) Tuesday, the five workers took turns recounting the abuse. Two of them, 24-year-old Putri and 25-year-old Selly, both from Indonesia, said their male employers made sexual advances on them.

Putri said she was even raped twice on the same day at her employer’s Yuen Long home in February. Feeling ill the next month, her “Madam” took her to the doctor, where she found out she was pregnant. She was forced to have an abortion, she said, joining the call via Zoom.

The domestic workers spoke about their experiences at a press conference organized by the Asian Migrants Coordinating Body (AMCB) on Tuesday. Photo: AMCB

She told her agency earlier that she wanted to change employers, but was denied. “The agency told me to stay until the end of the contract because [they] will not look for another employer for me,” she said.

Selly was also sexually assaulted by her male employer, who often kissed and grabbed her from behind when his wife was not around. “At night when I took a shower, Sir also tried to open the bathroom door and luckily my door was locked,” she said, recalling one day in June.

The testimonies of the two women paint a disturbing picture of the assault that went on behind closed doors, the long hours they are forced to work making it difficult to report the abuse, said a spokesperson for AMCB.

Eden and Herlina, two other domestic workers who spoke up about their experiences, also endured physical violence.

AMCB held a press conference to call attention to Eden’s case earlier this month, sharing pictures of injuries she suffered on her arms, chest and back. The Filipino single mother said her female employer, Mrs Mak, would physically lash out at her when her baby boy did not finish his food.

Eden, a domestic worker from the Philippines, sustained deep bruises and injuries on her body at the hands of her abusive employer. Photo: Facebook/Asian Migrants Coordinating Body
Eden, a domestic worker from the Philippines, sustained deep bruises and injuries on her body at the hands of her abusive employer. Photo: Facebook/Asian Migrants Coordinating Body

“[My employer] pumped dishwashing soap into the leftover congee and forced me to eat it,” Eden said, describing one particular punishment over Zoom. As her employer had confiscated her phone, she was unable to get help. She fled the home on May 30 when her employers were out and went to the police station.

Herlina, a 29-year-old helper from Indonesia, said she was often allowed to rest for just five hours a day and even then, would be woken up in the middle of the night by her male employer.

“The last three months prior to leaving my employer’s house, Sir often hit me, kicked me, pulled my hair and threw whatever objects around him towards me,” she said.

In April, she injured her foot when she was made to carry three large aquariums to dispose of them. Her employers only took her to the hospital the next day, where doctors treated her wound with nine stitches.

Read more: We all need to stop using the terms ‘maid’ and ‘helper’ | Opinion

Uun, who worked for the same employers as Herlina, was also forced to work long hours, although she did not recount physical abuse in her testimony. But she said she became afraid for her own safety after witnessing their male employer assault Herlina.

Mission for Migrant Workers, which is assisting the helpers, said it is appalled by the violent incidents. “Compared to 2019, there is a two-percentage point increase in physical abuse in 2020… and the recent cases of abuse show that this trend shows no signs of stopping,” a statement reads.

AMCB also condemned the government for its failure to ensure that migrant workers are able to enjoy their one rest day a week. Since COVID-19 began, some employers have banned their helpers from leaving the house on their holidays, the rights group said.

Herlina, Eden and Putri have reported their cases to the police, which are now under investigation.



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