ABUSE OF FOREIGN DOMESTIC WORKERS

Column No : 3247

ABUSE OF FOREIGN DOMESTIC WORKERS

2.

Ms Braema Mathiaparanam asked the Minister for Home Affairs (a) how many police reports were filed in the last two years by foreign domestic workers alleging abuse by (i) employers, (ii) maid agencies; and (b) how many amongst these cases were filed in court.

Mr Wong Kan Seng: In 2001, there were 14 substantiated cases (substantiated cases refer to those charged in court and given warning) of foreign domestic workers abused by their employers or members of the employer's household. Of these 14 employer-related cases, the offenders for 8 cases were prosecuted in court. There was 1 substantiated case of a foreign domestic worker abused by the maid agency in 2001 and the offender was prosecuted in court.

In 2002, there were 19 substantiated cases of foreign domestic workers abused by their employers or members of the employer's household and 2 substantiated cases committed by maid agencies. The offenders for all 21 cases were prosecuted in court.

All these data should be seen in perspective. For each of the past two years, there were more than 140,000 foreign domestic workers. The percentage of foreign domestic workers who were abused represented 0.01% and 0.014% of the total population of Foreign Domestic Workers in years 2001 and 2002 respectively.