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Quote from Article:

Relating another incident, MC said she woke up late one day and her employer was furious. "A few days ago, she banged my head against the wall and it bled. I think she got a little scared. But after a few days, I woke up late because I really felt sick, I couldn't barely get out of bed and my head was aching," she said. Instead of taking her to the doctor, the employer made MC "look like a dog", stand on all fours, and circle a table 20 times until she gave up because she felt very dizzy.


Another story of maid abuse.. I know there are two sides to every story, but if this is true, there are some sick animals in the UAE. I think Maria M should be bloody jailed. Having a maid is a privelege not someone you can abuse like this. Really angers me what a sick and twisted person.

The whole story:

DUBAI — For three years, a Filipina housemaid has been allegedly tortured by her employer, a Cypriot woman living in Dubai.


Apart from being hit by whatever object her employer, Maria M, could lay her hands on, she was apparently not given a square meal, her wages were not paid on time and she could hardly get any sleep because the household chores never seemed to end.

"I have been hit by everything that can be found in the kitchen," said MC, 26, crying and shaking in fear as she showed to the Philippine Consulate General (PCG) staff the bruises on her face, arms and shoulders.

Anyone can spot her cauliflower ears, a kind of acquired physical deformity that occurs after being hit repeatedly on the ear.

According to some health journals, the blows to the ear can damage the shape and structure of the soft cartilage.

Barely five-feet tall, the frail-looking woman was brought into the PCG yesterday by a Filipina.

"I have known her for only a week but since the first time I saw her, I knew something was wrong. She was very scared to leave her employers. I had to convince her to run away, otherwise she will soon die from the abuse," said Jane, herself a housemaid.

MC, originally from South Cotabato, a province in Mindanao in the southern Philippines, arrived in Dubai in September 2003 as a bona fide UAE employment visa holder. It was her first job abroad.

She had been living with her employers at Apartment 16 in Building 18 of the Jebel Ali Garden.

"She would always shout at me. If I didn't clean the house the way she would want me to, she would hit me. I am always the last to eat because she only gives me the leftovers," MC said.

Relating another incident, MC said she woke up late one day and her employer was furious. "A few days ago, she banged my head against the wall and it bled. I think she got a little scared. But after a few days, I woke up late because I really felt sick, I couldn't barely get out of bed and my head was aching," she said. Instead of taking her to the doctor, the employer made MC "look like a dog", stand on all fours, and circle a table 20 times until she gave up because she felt very dizzy.

MC was paid Dh600 a month and in the three years that she had been working with her employers, she said she managed to call her husband in the Philippines only six times. The housemaid has not gone to her country since 2003.

"I have a daughter who is eight years old and I haven't seen her for three years. My family doesn't know that I have been treated this way here," she said.

The Philippine Consul General, Antonio S. Curameng, has instructed the PCG staff to admit the housemaid to a hospital for medical examination and to coordinate with the Dubai Police.

"We will have the employer arrested and make her feel the full impact of the law," Curameng said.

Meanwhile, Fadi M, Maria's husband, denied that there was any ill-treatment. "It wasn't an abuse. The girl (MC) had some problems as well, but I have been coordinating closely with the Philippine consulate and we will settle this misunderstanding as soon as possible," he told Khaleej Times.

These people should be jailed

Jail and deported along with the husband (who must have known or should have known of the abuse). As$holes (to say the least).

This is totally appalling and unacceptable, the culprits need to have a harsh punishment.

One thing I'd like to point out however, is that it's totally wrong and against journalism law for the paper who wrote the story to print the address of the employer, until they've been formally charged with something. You can bet your bottom dollar they're goin to get hell, which they deserve, but still it was unprofessional.

Disgusting behaviour on the part of those people. Jail and deport for sure!

Three long yearssssss

I personally think that Saw's screenwriter must've inspired himself from his own fantasies. You know punishing this kind of monsters the proper way. There is no jail on this planet suitable enough for these persons. The death penalty would be a gift.

But in my opinion, what is even more appalling than this, is the way some people treat their maids without even knowing it is wrong. There is no physical abuse involved. I think the article here is just an example of an extreme case.
But do you know for example that in Lebanon there is NOTHING in the official contract between you and your maid, about holidays, or about letting your maid leave the house?

One of my dad's best friends who is actually a great guy, generous, never hurt a fly, asked him one day in front of me whether he should let his maid leave the house from time to time. The jackass actually locked her in her tiny room at night and NEVER let her out of the house, not even once since she started working for them!

Heck, the maid that currently work at our place actually CRIED when she joined us because it was like jumping from one extreme to the other! She had spent 2 yrs taking care of an old lady who spent her days in bed, had never left the house, and never phoned her family back home!
My mom actually took her out every single day in the first few months she spent at our place to show her Beirut as she had no clue what it frickin looked like!

Now THIS is something that drive me nuts because some ppl can't even see what is wrong in keeping a human being locked in a cage!? What's their fekking arguments? "She left her country to work, she's not complaining, it's not in the contract......."

Sad that the family pet can get treated better than the maid.

^ian^ wrote:Sad that the family pet can get treated better than the maid.

Now isn't this so true

Nobody should have maid.

she was paid just 600 dhs !!

how did she survive, uae needs some minimum wages law, i feel sry for her.

Concord wrote:Nobody should have maid.

Why do you say that Concs?

xibit wrote:she was paid just 600 dhs !!

how did she survive, uae needs some minimum wages law, i feel sry for her.

I second that. Exploitation of workers in this country is crazy!

sage & onion wrote:

Concord wrote:Nobody should have maid.

Why do you say that Concs?

]

Because I don't think having a maid is necessary.

Concord wrote:

sage & onion wrote:

Concord wrote:Nobody should have maid.

Why do you say that Concs?

]

Because I don't think having a maid is necessary.

That maybe the case for you, however if both adults are working full time jobs, why not???.
Mind you having said that it is necessary to treat the maid properly, they should be an equal member in the house, with no restrictions on food, paid a reasonable wage and on time.

I am with Concord, I disagree with people having full-time live in maids unless they are super-powered business people, politicians, famous actors, musicians etc. who are out of the country half the time. If you want to have someone come in once a week or once every two weeks to help with a big clean, then that should be fine. What ever happened to families cleaning up after themselves? If everyone pitches in it doesn't take that long to clean the house, and it makes children learn responsibility for looking after themselves and their home. I fully expect some people to disagree with me - it is only my perspective.

bad and sad

kanelli wrote:I am with Concord, I disagree with people having full-time live in maids unless they are super-powered business people, politicians, famous actors, musicians etc. who are out of the country half the time. If you want to have someone come in once a week or once every two weeks to help with a big clean, then that should be fine. What ever happened to families cleaning up after themselves? If everyone pitches in it doesn't take that long to clean the house, and it makes children learn responsibility for looking after themselves and their home. I fully expect some people to disagree with me - it is only my perspective.

I really don't see where the problem is. A full-time maid can help a lot when both parents work and when you live in a big apartment. Are my parents supposed to clean the house after they get back from work at 7hPM? Is my mother supposed to cook at the same time? It makes life easier so why not?
Our maid is part of the family and I challenge anyone to get her to complain about ANYTHING, ANYTHING at all.

Nick81 wrote:

kanelli wrote:I am with Concord, I disagree with people having full-time live in maids unless they are super-powered business people, politicians, famous actors, musicians etc. who are out of the country half the time. If you want to have someone come in once a week or once every two weeks to help with a big clean, then that should be fine. What ever happened to families cleaning up after themselves? If everyone pitches in it doesn't take that long to clean the house, and it makes children learn responsibility for looking after themselves and their home. I fully expect some people to disagree with me - it is only my perspective.

I really don't see where the problem is. A full-time maid can help a lot when both parents work and when you live in a big apartment. Are my parents supposed to clean the house after they get back from work at 7hPM? Is my mother supposed to cook at the same time? It makes life easier so why not?
Our maid is part of the family and I challenge anyone to get her to complain about ANYTHING, ANYTHING at all.

she told me u peek into her room when she undresses! Nauughty Nick!

She's not your typical French maid unfortunately

kanelli wrote:I am with Concord, I disagree with people having full-time live in maids unless they are super-powered business people, politicians, famous actors, musicians etc. who are out of the country half the time. If you want to have someone come in once a week or once every two weeks to help with a big clean, then that should be fine. What ever happened to families cleaning up after themselves? If everyone pitches in it doesn't take that long to clean the house, and it makes children learn responsibility for looking after themselves and their home. I fully expect some people to disagree with me - it is only my perspective.

All of my friends and co-workers back home have very busy lives with both the husband and wife workings and in some cases with children and not one of them has a maid (and make can really afford one). I know a Billionare couple even they don't have a live-in maid (someone comes to help with the cleaning twice a week and someone else helps with the laundry once a week). Their apartment is the largest I've ever seen in my life.

I think having a maid is a "cultural" thing - i.e. more common in certain areas. There was a post not long ago here by someone making 9,000 dhs a month looking for details on how to sponsor a maid - non- working wife to boot.

I've heard the argument that it "provides employment" - hogwash!

Nick, no need to get all defensive. As I said, everyone can have their own opinion on the issue. My feeing about work times is that if you have children, the husband or wife should have reasonable work hours that allow one or the other to be home after school for the children. That makes cooking a meal and cleaning possible. Children should also help clean when they are old enough. Nowadays people are very career focused, and I understand that too. Each family has to make their own decisions. If some want a maid, fine - if some don't, fine.

Nick81 wrote:

kanelli wrote:I am with Concord, I disagree with people having full-time live in maids unless they are super-powered business people, politicians, famous actors, musicians etc. who are out of the country half the time. If you want to have someone come in once a week or once every two weeks to help with a big clean, then that should be fine. What ever happened to families cleaning up after themselves? If everyone pitches in it doesn't take that long to clean the house, and it makes children learn responsibility for looking after themselves and their home. I fully expect some people to disagree with me - it is only my perspective.

I really don't see where the problem is. A full-time maid can help a lot when both parents work and when you live in a big apartment. Are my parents supposed to clean the house after they get back from work at 7hPM? Is my mother supposed to cook at the same time? It makes life easier so why not?
Our maid is part of the family and I challenge anyone to get her to complain about ANYTHING, ANYTHING at all.

I agree with your point Nick

kanelli wrote:Nick, no need to get all defensive. As I said, everyone can have their own opinion on the issue. My feeing about work times is that if you have children, the husband or wife should have reasonable work hours that allow one or the other to be home after school for the children. That makes cooking a meal and cleaning possible. Children should also help clean when they are old enough. Nowadays people are very career focused, and I understand that too. Each family has to make their own decisions. If some want a maid, fine - if some don't, fine.

I'm wid yuo.

But the issue I think is why such abuses happen here. Does it have to do with these people's culture? education? their idea of a"maid"? their psychological state?
One thing I'm sure of, filipino maids are known for their patience and tolerance to the point of being martyred just to earn enough money to send back to their families- this trait I think welcomes abuse.

Having a maid can create real problems for children.

I have seen children that are 6 years old but have the motor skills of a 3 year old because the maids do everything for them.

These are people that will struggle when they get out into the real world.

Well, some people think that maids are inferior because they are less educated and are supposed to do the menial tasks in the house. In a way, it is the same as how some people think about pets in the house. They feel that they are less intelligent and less imporant in the household ranking - so they can be treated poorly if it suits. Why spend money or give privileges to "lesser beings". That is seriously how SOME people who have maids seem to think.

I agree with K and C, many people have a maid, just because they're so darn lazy. There are 3 of us in our villa, we all work full-time and yes we clean everything ocne a week after work, do the washing etc etc etc, no need for a maid. Plus if you have kids, you can work flexi hourse so you're there for the children when they get home and take them to school, or that's what creche's and youth clubs are for.

There are too many children being brought up by maids in this country, without the parents giving a damn.

pinoy1 wrote:But the issue I think is why such abuses happen here. Does it have to do with these people's culture? education? their idea of a"maid"? their psychological state?
One thing I'm sure of, filipino maids are known for their patience and tolerance to the point of being martyred just to earn enough money to send back to their families- this trait I think welcomes abuse.

I don't think we can generalize abuse there are abusive as$holes in every religion, raced, ethnicity, sex, age, and socio economic level in the world.

I miss my old maid that i had when i was a kid here in dubai. actually i never thought of her as a maid...i always called her auntie. my mom worked for a newstation so she was always out and about with work and my brother was in the army so that left my sis and i at home. god i loved her, but when i left dubai i asked her to come with me, she said she wanted to go back to her family so my mum got her a ticket back to india. i still have her pictures everytime i see my new maid that i have i think of her.


im not lazy, i can cook, clean, and do all that good stuff, its just sometimes its nice to have a helping hand.