Maids vulnerable to sexual abuse in need of wider social support, NGOs and experts say

Two employers were recently given jail terms for sexually assaulting their live-in domestic workers. Experts said that such cases are likely underreported. Sociologist Laavanya Kathiravelu from SSS@NTU said that sexual abuse cases are particularly sensitive because the nature of sexual abuse is often associated with a lot of shame, even for the victim, which could also lead to lower reporting rates. Assoc Prof Laavanya said that migrant domestic workers are a group that is especially vulnerable to abuses because of their position of dependency while working for their employers. She added that transferring to a different employer after making a report may not always be easy for the maids, depending on their agency.