CCHU9026 Individual Essay
Sexual Abuses of Female Migrant Domestic Workers in Hong Kong
“I never think about myself. I don't have a choice.” said Cherry Narag, a Filipino domestic worker in Hong Kong. According to Hong Kong population statistics, there are more than 200,000 foreign domestic workers (235, 274 as of December 2012) who live and work in Hong Kong. Majority of them came from Indonesia, Philippines and Thailand, they are very young (some even falsify their age just to come to work), and often face a language barrier. They made up approximately 5% of the Hong Kong’s population, work hard to pay off the huge debt of agency recruitment fees, they scrimp and save just to send home as much money as they could. However, most of them have been unfairly treated or often abused by their employers, and usually don’t possess a proper or respectful working and living environment, i.e. some don’t even have a separate, private room for themselves.
Among the many forms of abuse, sexual abuse is the largest problem women migrant workers suffered since then. According to the workers, some male employers would just wear underwear in front of them, some would touch their body private parts, some would suddenly go into their room when they are sleeping, and some even install video camera inside the bathrooms and bedrooms. There is even one case where a single male employer, who is a police officer, forces his domestic worker to perform hand sex on him. How could a single male employer be allowed to hire a single domestic worker? Why are there no precautions to avoid sexual abuse from happening?
The live-in requirement of the Hong Kong policy contributes the most to the sexual abuse. If the migrant domestic workers were to be given a chance to live-out, the percentage of sexual harassment would definitely reduced. Facing these abuses, the migrant workers can do nothing but are only forced to keep silence. Being new to Hong Kong, they have no places to seek for help or to ask for advises. If they
“I never think about myself. I don't have a choice.” said Cherry Narag, a Filipino domestic worker in Hong Kong. According to Hong Kong population statistics, there are more than 200,000 foreign domestic workers (235, 274 as of December 2012) who live and work in Hong Kong. Majority of them came from Indonesia, Philippines and Thailand, they are very young (some even falsify their age just to come to work), and often face a language barrier. They made up approximately 5% of the Hong Kong’s population, work hard to pay off the huge debt of agency recruitment fees, they scrimp and save just to send home as much money as they could. However, most of them have been unfairly treated or often abused by their employers, and usually don’t possess a proper or respectful working and living environment, i.e. some don’t even have a separate, private room for themselves.
Among the many forms of abuse, sexual abuse is the largest problem women migrant workers suffered since then. According to the workers, some male employers would just wear underwear in front of them, some would touch their body private parts, some would suddenly go into their room when they are sleeping, and some even install video camera inside the bathrooms and bedrooms. There is even one case where a single male employer, who is a police officer, forces his domestic worker to perform hand sex on him. How could a single male employer be allowed to hire a single domestic worker? Why are there no precautions to avoid sexual abuse from happening?
The live-in requirement of the Hong Kong policy contributes the most to the sexual abuse. If the migrant domestic workers were to be given a chance to live-out, the percentage of sexual harassment would definitely reduced. Facing these abuses, the migrant workers can do nothing but are only forced to keep silence. Being new to Hong Kong, they have no places to seek for help or to ask for advises. If they