How Do You Treat Your Housemaids?

How Do You Treat Your Housemaids?

Do we consider housemaids as human beings? Or are they just like machines such as washing machine and a refrigerator? Some of us, because of excessive laziness and a disdain of doing what we consider easy jobs, cannot do without a housemaid even if there are no children in the house.

The housemaid in this case will be used as something to brag about. She will drag herself behind the husband and wife carrying the shopping bags. This has become the typical picture of an elite family, whether large or small. The main purpose of hiring a housemaid is so the wife can boast of having a servant who blindly obeys her orders. These are unlawful actions that can be considered as housemaid abuse.

Abusive employers may not give his housemaid’s salary for months. Her passport will be locked away from her. She will be forced to sleep in a room even dogs would shy from. She may constantly lose her precious things.

Is this not a frightening brutality? Housemaid abuse is totally against human rights and international norms.

It is a common practice even among small families not to allow housemaids to take time off to do their shopping or attend to private matters. She will not be allowed to take a weekly day off, which is granted by labor systems all over the world.

Self-centered families will not allow their housemaids to enjoy their annual vacations. They may stay in the house for years without giving them the right of freedom to go out, have vacations, unwind a little or so.

The housemaid may be working in a house inhabited by lots of people. Everyone will be giving her orders, which she should obey.

They will look at her with disrespect and ask her to do some jobs at any time of the day or night. This of course is in addition to beatings, sexual harassment and physical abuse. The families do this kind of housemaid abuse while claiming to be good citizens with good morals.
We are actually living in a whirlpool of traditions, when actually they are outdated and inhumane principles that we do not dare to contest or question.

The local newspapers recently published reports about many abused housemaids escaped due to maltreatment, cruelty and delay of payment. I strongly believe that if we treated the housemaids with dignity and respect, they will never escape and subject themselves to many risks. The housemaids experience difficulties living by themselves in other country, especially the mothers who have left their children back home.

The housemaid is a natural woman. She should be part of the social fabric of the family for which she works. She is a human being and not a machine.

Are we very cruel people with housemaids, wives and children? Are we being true to our genuine desert ethics? Come to think of it. Open your eyes and see how cruel others can be in torturing their housemaids.


For more information on housemaid abuse and women employee abuse, visit:� http://womenemployeeabuse.wordpress.com/2010/07/09/mariano-tanenglian-faces-charges-against-housemaid-abuse/