We hear plenty of stories of maids abusing their employers (especially if they are aged) or employers’ children. This time however, an employer has been dealt with by the law for abusing her maid.
Suriyati Matrawee, 42, was jailed yesterday (28 June) for repeatedly abusing her 28 year old Indonesian domestic worker for a period of almost a year, according to Straits Times and Channel News Asia reports. Suriyati has three children – a daughter (8) and two sons (7 and 4).
Maid Abuse Singapore: The mum of 3 allegedly spat on her maid for simply not ironing clothes on time
The woman was accused of spitting at her maid (for not ironing her clothes on time), and also stepping on and twisting her foot. She had also withheld her maid’s salary and pulled off and stepped on her tudung or headscarf.
The maid – Ms Intan Atikah – had reportedly tried to run away once, but had been caught and “carried back to the flat”, the court heard.
A child started the abuse…
What is really sad and horrifying about this story is that it was Suriyati’s eight-year-old daughter who started the abuse, says the Channel NewsAsia report.
The court heard that soon after Ms. Inan started work with the family in April 2015, the girl had punched and kicked her repeatedly. And even though Ms Intan told the girl’s mother, she was ignored.
By the end of that year, Suriyati started her own abuse of the hapless maid.
In December 2016, reports say that neighbours had called the police after hearing loud cries from Suriyati’s flat. The court heard that the woman had clung on to Ms. Intan, begging her not to say anything to the police.
Ms. Intan believed her employer and did not report her. However, on that very same day, Suriyati had stepped on Ms. Intan’s foot and twisted it, leaving a bruise. She had refused to take Ms. Intan to the doctor.
In February 2016, the court heard that along with her eight-year-old daughter,Suriyati had pulled off the maid’s headscarf, trampled on it and thrown it away. The girl had hit Ms. Intan and helped her mother pull off the scarf.
Jail time and a strong warning
The mother of three was sentenced to 16 weeks’ jail yesterday. District Judge Mathew Joseph said the woman’s actions were “deplorable” and that she had set a bad example for her three children.
Judge Joseph also said the abuse was “degrading” and chastised the woman for her “shameless audacity” in telling the maid not to report the abuse. “You tried to cover up your conduct when (the police) arrived, clearly you knew (what you did) was wrong,” the judge is quoted by news reports.
Source: The Straits Times, Channel NewsAsia
Also READ: Viral video highlights sad reality of maid abuse