One of the reasons the cause of domestic workers touches my heart so is that I used to be one. I know what it is like to clean up others people’s messes for money, and how dirty people can really be when they know someone will clean up after them. One was in high school, cleaning condos of the rich and famous: I have an interesting collection of antique salt spoons my ‘clients’ left behind after snorting cocaine. Later it was when I was debt-ridden and couldn’t afford to eat. It’s not a profession one chooses if one has other options.
The Jordan Times reported today that a woman and her son are being held on charges of murdering their house helper. Manslaughter, to be precise, but it sounds like murder to me. This pair (and horrifyingly, another minor son) decided to punish their 22 year old Indonesian maid for leaving the house without permission, fighting with them and wanting to return home. They admitted to severely beating her, tying her with rope and when they noticed she wasn’t conscious, dumping her body. Her sexual organs showed signs of bruising, as well as her lower body being unclothed when she was found. Why is this level of brutality, possibly including sexual torture, only considered manslaughter?
I can’t even imagine how a more awful and lonely way to die. Knowing you had tried to get away from dangerous people, your last thoughts knowing that your worst fears were realized. Knowing you ran out of options at only 22 years old.
oh my god! totally inhumane …
Although I would wait for the results of the full investigation to pass judgement. I find this very disturbing
People just don’t get it.. they don’t get that THESE ARE HUMAN BEING just like them. And they need to be treated equally! As employees, not as slaves!
This doesn’t sound like manslaughter to me, I hope the investigators will be honest and give the victim her last resting rights, May her soul rest in peace.
OMG..This happened in JORDAN?
Oh dear.. people are getting freakish here!!
We have to be carefull to whom we do stuff with..
i hope they get what they deserve!!!
i read the artical and they didnt mention which city this occured..
is it in amman?
I think a full psychological examination of the family is needed before they are allowed to get domestic helpers, at least for the first time.
thanks for the story kinzi, the perception of domestic workers in the middle east especially is quite demeaning. Unfortunately I’ve seen that alot of arab families here have carried that attitude with them to the US. The hispanic lady that cleans for us stated she’ll no longer work for any arab households (except for us) after having a couple of bad experiences.
Of course the story that you reported represents the extreme, but I think we have a major problem with how we perceive domestic workers and this is the root cause (or one of) for gross mistreatment.
Kinzi I totally sympathize with the houskeeping lady who cleans my apartment, I kinda do some “pre-cleaning” before she comes in to clean to make her job easier, but all of these ladies hate me big time. I’m sure they talk about my apartment after they leave.
Chika, Qwaider, Maher, Onzlo, Asoom, Hareega, you guys have such compassionate hearts. People with your example can change how others think here.
Onzlo, not a bad idea at all! Training should also be included, how to employ someone in your home and what their rights are.
Maher, I think the final charges will include where they are from. the body was dumped in Naour.
Asoom, such is the case with many domestic workers here. I have women come up to me regularly asking for employment with foreigners because we don’t beat them.
Nick Seeley, in the November JO, had this to say after investigating violence of domestic workers extensively: “…it seems likely that domestic worker abuse in Jordan is not a one-in-a-million kind of problem, or even one-in-100. It may be closer to one in 10.”
(Hareega, after hearing about your manner of housekeeping, I think that is very kind of you to -pre-clean. OH, yes, they will also rejoice when you get a wife! Listen to me talk, my once a week helper didn’t come yesterday, so I did the mountain of dishes myself, very embarassed at leaving her such a task
)
After on maid got pregnant and dumped the baby just a few weeks ago, I read in Al Rai newspaper how housewives who employ help are now even MORE restrictive; they don’t let them go out, or have cellphones, or do anything a normal person would do. The article, to my surprise, actually encouraged this sort of behavior instead of advising people to be compassionate but yes, pay attention to what their help do just to be on the safe side.
Hi Kinzi
Just wanted you to know that I also read this story, and it prompted me to finally write my domestic worker post.
Please let MommaBean bring you over for coffee some day. I’d like to meet.
Congrats on your column.
http://southernmuslimah.blogspot.com/2008/01/mans-inhumanity-to-man.html
Tololy, yea, some bloggers covered that article in al Rai (Observer and Pheras) and then Lina quoted them in JO this month. Mish Ma3uul.
Yet, everyone I know (see Umm Farouq’s post next) has examples of maids gone mad: stealing, whoring, manipulating or abusing their kids. Somewhere between xenophobic madames and evil-plotting maids there HAS to be an answer.
Umm Farouq, thanks for the link to your post. After reading it, I was struck that the NICEST families I know seem to have had the WORST domestic helpers. With every story like yours, the polarization between maid and madame seems farther and farther apart. Both operate from the extremes of “once burned twice shy”.
(I have to say how much I could relate to the Ragu story)
I would LOVE to meet you for coffee someday with MB. My social life stinks right now with school out. I can’t seem to get enough work done with them home, which restricts my life even more. Then I am too tired for a social life. BUT…February is coming!!!
Let’s bookmark it
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Oh my god
do they have a heart or even a heartbeat!
OMG! Those are monsters! We need more awarance on this issue and more precautions taken for the safety of domestic workers. The government should work more on this issue, it is getting out of hand, and we jordanians are looking too bad.
Thanks kinzi for covering this. Would you be allowed to pick your own posts in the magazine? I recommend this one
Seriously, Observer. People are letting their monster side take over. MOI has a great post on it.
Although I primarily want to cover the best bloggers, (and i don’t consider myself there) if I have something on topic worth contributing to the whole, I will. I value your opinion.
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