December 6, 2005

Appendix C:Abuses Documented by Human Rights Watch

Number of domestic workers interviewed:65

Ages of domestic workers interviewed:20-53

Because of the limited time some domestic workers had to participate in an interview, a few were unable to respond to all of the points below. Some women were still in their debt repayment period and therefore could not answer questions about whether they received their wages regularly. The numbers presented here most likely under-represent the actual number of abuses against the sixty-five women interviewed.

Abuse experienced from an employment agent

Number of interviewees

Six or more months of initial pay cut from salary

37

Threats, confiscation of personal items, overcharging, refusal to remove from abusive workplace, or physical abuse

27

Working conditions and abuses experienced from a current or former employer

Number of domestic workers

Reported twelve or more hours of work per day

51

Reported sixteen or more hours of work per day

32

Reported one rest day per week

7

Reported one to two rest days per month*

21

Reported no rest days

31

Did not receive full salary

12

Reported verbal abuse or threats

33

Reported physical abuse

13

Reported sexual abuse

6

Reported inadequate food

15

Restrictions on leaving the workplace

29

Conditions amounting to forced labor, debt bondage

15

* Several of these workers reported receiving one rest day per month only after six months to two years of employment.