Police on the case of abused maid

The Jakarta Post ,  Jakarta   |  Wed, 07/12/2006 4:50 PM  |  Jakarta

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The police are investigating the physical abuse of a teenager working as live-in maid at a house in Slipi, West Jakarta.

Maryatul Fitri, 16, fled Friday the house, where she had worked for four-and-half months, after her employer, identified only as N, assaulted her and attempted to cut her with a knife.

""I ran away that day after my employer (tried to) slash my arm with a knife, kicked me in the face and then punched me because, according to her, I did not take care of her three children well,"" she told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday.

""I never expected anything like this to happen. All I wanted to do here was to have a decent job and work hard,"" said the only child of a farmer in Lampung.

A motorcycle taxi driver in the neighborhood, Solikin, took her to her agency, the Dwi Asih Foundation.

""She was crying and her face was black and blue when she ran out of that house,"" Solikin said.

Foundation chairman Jasman Tejo Pamungkas said in the last two years, four of his workers had experienced abuse. He added that his foundation preferred to handle such situations personally.

""Usually abusive employers agree to pay compensation for medication and psychological damage,"" he said, adding that in Fitri's case he was demanding compensation of Rp 11 million (US$1,208).

""Because the employers did not show any concern for Fitri, I reported the abuse to the police on Sunday.""

Fitri said she had experienced abuse every day and she had yet to receive her salary of Rp 300,000 per month.

Fitri said she would drop the charges if N paid the compensation.

""After that I'll go back to Lampung,"" she said, adding that she had no interest in staying in Jakarta anymore.

According to Rumpun Gema Perempuan, a non-governmental organization concerned with domestic workers' issues, there have been 120 reported cases of workers being abused by their employers in Jakarta in the last two years. The group believes the actual number of such cases is likely to be much higher.

Rumpun Gema chairwoman Aida Milasari said live-in maids tended to be more vulnerable to abuse because they worked in a domestic environment.

""There's a belief in the community that exposing domestic problems to the public is taboo,"" she said.

Aida said people usually preferred to settle things personally, rather than report the abuse to the police.

Palmerah Police's investigation unit head Insp. Hedy Margasi said they were currently questioning witnesses.

""We have not yet named N as a suspect because we need to get more information from witnesses,"" he said Tuesday. (08)

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