A Philippine Embassy lawyer recently filed a complaint against a Kuwaiti man for raping a domestic helper. A police source said the lawyer informed them the accused took advantage of the family being out of the house, then went to the helper's room and locked the door before raping her. She was offered money in exchange of her silence.
Last year, the murder of a Filipina housemaid inside her employer's house in Hawally triggered a diplomatic dispute between Kuwait and Manila, the illicit intervention of the embassy in rescuing their nationals kept prisoner in local employment and the expulsion of the Philippine envoy to Kuwait.
In the same year, another Filipina was rescued by authorities after a series of videos of her pleading for help went viral on Facebook. The Filipina housemaid showed in the video the bruises and burns which she allegedly sustained due to abuse by her employer.
Kuwait Times has documented most of these stories of death, abuse and mistreatment that happen inside the supposed comfort of an employer's home. Stories of housemaids beaten and mistreated are unfortunately all too common. So how can a domestic helper protect herself against abusive employers? How can she overcome challenges and differences in culture, language and even religion? We spoke to some domestic helpers in Kuwait, and here's what they said:
Building trust
Emerald Estrada, a Filipina domestic helper for the past 10 years, said she understands her employer's reasons when she was not allowed a day off during her first two years at her employer's house, a common but illegal practice.
"They said they were trying to protect me during my first contract, when I was not allowed a day off. They told me I could go out if they go out too, but for me to go out alone, no way." she said. The domestic labor law says the domestic helper is entitled to one day off per week. "But when the employer says we cannot have a day off, we are stuck," Estrada noted.
"Maybe they didn't trust me yet. For me, it was okay; it takes time to build relationship and trust, so I stayed at home for two years. I know many Filipinas who have been in Kuwait for 10 years without a day off. They are still alive. If you do not like this, tell them to take you back to your embassy or agency," she said.
Estrada has experienced several types of verbal abuse, like she has come from a 'khaddama' country, the maids are 'maskeen' and poor people, and they are slaves and the employers can do whatever they want because they bought them by paying cash from an agency.
"I hear this but I keep it to myself. It was painful, but I tell myself it cannot kill me - I want my salary only for my kids," she said. "When they accused me of taking something from their room, I told them to take me to the police so they would know if I really did it. I am sure that I didn't take anything from them, so my conscience is clear," she said. "Slowly, I earned the complete trust of every one of them. That struggle was only during the first two years of my contract," she added.
Estrada said she avoids the male members of her employer's family. "I don't talk to male members of the family. If they need something, I tell my madam to pass the message to me. In this way, I avoid any temptation and they can do the same. It's a matter of respect. They don't talk to me directly as well. I am afraid of the grownup male members of the family. But if you keep a distance, they can never hurt you. When they talk to me for a few seconds, I don't look at them in the eye. I also agreed to cover my head with a hijab and wear a black abaya at all times, especially when there are male members around. I remove the abaya only when I am in my room," she said.
Experienced and confident
Gina Morales, another housemaid, said the first thing she did was to work and follow her employers' orders. "I just followed their orders - I wanted to impress my boss on my first day and I kept this habit," she said. "Only later did I answer back. If there's something wrong, I don't stop talking when it is necessary. I don't keep my mouth shut. Once my boss reminded me that when she brought me from the agency, I was nice and kind, but I have become a tigress. But I think this was necessary to avoid the men of the family. I told them this is because I want to stay safe," she said, adding that the idea is to let them know that she is willing to submit only to work-related issues but not for anything illegal that doesn't conform to her job as a housemaid.
"I told them I will work hard and hope to complete my two-year contract without any hassle so I can go home. My bosses told me eventually that my attitude is good, so some members of the family will not take advantage of me. The hardest part was when they confiscated my mobile, passport and other documents. They said they will keep it and in times of need, I can take the documents from them. So I gave it to them without hesitation, and after two years, I went home. When I returned, they gave me twice off in a month, so I was happy, and they increased my salary too," Morales said.
When it comes to language, Morales said she couldn't be bothered because all the members of the family she is serving understand English. "I speak broken English, but we understand each other. My employer speaks English very well because she works in a bank. Their kids are also studying in an English school, so I don't face any language barrier. I can easily converse with them and convey my message properly, so I only experience minimal problems," she said.
Morales has been with the same employer for the past 16 years. "I started with a very small salary, but now my salary has doubled and I am still with them. Probably when they do not need me anymore, I can say I am ready to go home. I managed to give a better life and education to my two kids - a daughter graduated with a BS in Banking and Finance, and my son is in the second year of college studying criminology. I am a single parent, so I work hard for them," she said.
Kathryn Gonzales said she is happy she found a good employer, whom she has been serving for nine years. "I am lucky to work in the same place where my mother works. My mother came before the Iraqi invasion. She's has been with my boss for more than 34 years. My mother is still working with them, although she has slowed down because she is old. They treat us like part of the family," she said. "My mother knows the culture of Kuwait. She warned me to wear appropriate dress and make it a habit to close the door of our room. She said when talking to men in Kuwait, I should not look at them directly in the eye. I follow her advice religiously and do my work," she said.
By Ben Garcia