Savages

The abuse of domestic workers, especially young maids, is a horrific reality in our society. Occasionally the curtains are drawn back to reveal what takes place behind them. This has happened once again in Lahore, where an under-age girl was rescued from a house in Muslim Town, with injuries showing severe physical abuse on her body. The girl is now in the custody of the Child Welfare and Protection Bureau. She was removed from her abusive situation reportedly after receiving an anonymous tip-off. Initial details say she received no payment as her relatives had taken money in advance and she was often kept hungry and tortured by the family she served, even with a heated iron utensil.
Others in situations similar to hers have died as a result of brutalities. Teenager Shazia Masih, who died in Lahore in 2010, comes to mind. There have been other horrendous cases, in Faisalabad, Multan and other cities. In many cases, the influential savages who have murdered and mutilated the weak go free. There are probably just a handful of such cases that come to light. The victims lack the power to make their voices heard and, in the unregulated domestic sector, remain unprotected by the law. The organisation Alliance Against Sexual Harassment has in the past stated that up to 90 percent of women and girls working as domestic help suffer abuse. The law passed in 2010 to protect women from harassment in the workplace does not extend to them. This needs to be remedied to protect those who constitute the most vulnerable section of our labour force.