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8 Common Forms of Domestic Helper Abuse in Saudi Arabia

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One of the most common misfortunes a domestic helper suffers abroad is abuse. It began even before the time of Flor Contemplacion until the present, where there are still numerous cases of domestic helper abuse that occasionally grab the headlines. Abuse occurs when there is inappropriate treatment of usage of an entity or individual, often done to unjustly gain benefit.

Abuse may occur in the form of physical, verbal cruelty, injury, battery, violation of rights, unjust practices, or it may extend to rape and other types of crimes and aggression. The following are some of the most common forms of abuses a domestic helper experiences abroad:

Physical abuse.

This form of abuse occurs when a person intentionally injures or causes feelings of physical pain towards someone else. This type of abuse also includes kicking, lashing, slapping, and other forms of physical contact that can cause illness or injury to another person. An example of this is the incident that happened to a domestic helper named Pahima Alagai Palacasi. Her sponsor’s mother poured boiling water on her due to a simple misunderstanding.

Failure to pay wages on time.

Failure to pay salaries on time is another type of abuse that domestic helpers experience abroad. It occurs when an employer fails to pay the employee’s salary on time. Delay in salary is defined (at least under Hong Kong’s domestic worker law) as not more than seven days after the wage period. No matter what the reason behind the pay delay, it is still a violation of the right of a domestic helper. Another typical example is when an employer delays the payment of a domestic helper’s salary for damaging (albeit unintentionally) objects at home.

Not providing sufficient privacy.

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This form of abuse happens when the employee is not given the privacy to do things she wishes to do for himself or herself. For instance, an employer listens to the employee while communicating with friends and relatives, or an employee does not have enough privacy when changing clothes or taking a rest.

Not providing adequate food.

Every living organism needs food to survive. But some employers look down on domestic helpers as if they’re mere robots who work long hours without complaining, and because of this, they feed these helpers leftover or expiring food. Or when granted ration, they are not enough to replenish energy expended during day-long household chores.

Failure to offer enough rest and day off.

. Some employers would like to make the most out of the wages they pay. Thus, they tend to coerce these domestic helpers to work day and night and seven days a week, and sometimes, with an off from work.

Helper abuse come in different forms
Helper abuse comes in different forms.

Failure to grant wages as agreed upon in the contract.

Some employers do not want to pay the remuneration agreed upon, as specified in the contract. Thus, upon arrival of the domestic helper, they make changes and state that the salary will be decreased. Domestic workers become helpless as they have virtually no option but to accept terms or face termination from their job and start all over again. This form of exploitation may not get reported to designated labor agencies.

Sexual harassment.

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This type of complaint could be one of the most common types of abuse of domestic helper experiences. Yet, this is one of the most common violations that is not reported to authorities as helpers are either afraid to lose their jobs or rather avoid instances of embarrassment. One of the many reasons is that its parameters are difficult to define. For example, praising a person’s attire is not automatically harassment; however, remarking on the attire of a sexual nature is. Another reason may be the victim is ashamed to go out in public, and or the perpetrator threatened him or her.

Depriving use of means of communication.

Some employers disallow employees to communicate with family and friends. An example is the confiscation of cell phones during work hours. An employee can be reprimanded for using one during working hours, but confiscating is another story.

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