MAID ABUSE

Ms Braema Mathiaparanam asked the Minister for Home Affairs in the last three years (2000, 2001, 2002), (a) how many cases of maid abuse were filed with the police; (b) what were the forms of abuse (eg. slaps, scaldings) recorded in police reports; (c) of these recorded cases how many were (i) withdrawn by the maids and (ii) prosecuted; (d) how many of these reported cases were initiated by doctors who had examined the maids; and (e) what is the demographical profile of those who were 'accused'.

Mr Wong Kan Seng: There were 87, 41 and 43 substantiated* cases of crime committed against Foreign Domestic Workers (FDWs) in 2000, 2001 and 2002 respectively. These crimes include serious hurt, simple assault and outraging of modesty. Prior to 2001, Police did not maintain separate statistics for offences committed by employers against their FDWs. In 2001, in 14 of the 41 substantiated cases, the employers or members of their household were the offenders. The offenders in 8 out of these 14 cases were prosecuted and the offenders in the remaining cases were warned. In 2002, in 19 of the 43 substantiated cases, the employers or members of their household were the offenders and all were prosecuted.

The common forms of abuse as alleged in the Police's reports include slapping, kicking and pinching.

Data requested on part (c) (i), (d) and (e) of the question are not available as such statistics are currently not maintained. * The offenders in these cases include the employer or his family members as well as other persons known or unknown to the FDW.