Maid Spiked Soup with Pills

Melissa Koh Huixin
105855Z

Violent maid abuse cases has been rather popular in Singapore such as this one. This didn't surprise me at all. Usually, i would always simply think that this happens because it was mainly the entire maid's fault. However, when i think about it and read this article in detail. I find that maybe such abuse cases wasn't entirely the maid's fault, the employer plays a part too.

In this article, i found out that the writer actually emphasized on the maid being afraid of the employer finding faults on her. I figured that why she had spiked the soup in the first place could be that she was afraid that she would get scolding from her employer. It could also be that the employer might have threatened or warned her that she will be sent home if she doesn't do a good job. I mean, these are my assumptions, but we must never ignore such possibilities. Besides, no one would harm you unless you have caused them to.

I have a maid at home too, but i don't face such abuses before. I realized that it about the relationship that you build with them. Sometimes, we need to put ourselves into their shoes. Having to stay away from home for so long, with no connection until their so-called holidays, i could imagine the stress that they go through. I asked my maid about her life in here and at home, the different regulations that the agency made and whatever i could think of. She told me that they are not allowed to have their cell phones with them once they arrive in Singapore. So i asked her on how she is going to keep in contact with her family members. She has to wait till she gets her salary, buy a phone booth card to make the call. She said that she felt very stress when she came to our house for the very first time. She heard of stories about maids being abused and she was afraid of being one. I decided to just ask her about her personal life and i felt she is a quite a broken person. Her dad passed away early, leaving her to feed her family. Her mum re-married and gave birth to stepsisters. However, when she left for Singapore to work, they took the chance to chase her mum out of the house. Her mum had to use her savings to rent a room. Then a flood happen in her country, her house was damaged once again. My maid has to constantly fear for her mum as she can't do anything. She had to save her salary and grant permission to fly back to re-build the house again for her mum. Imagine having to do the household chores, looking after my sick grandpa (whom is really hard to please) and at the same time, worrying for her mum. The stress level is high and not forgetting that she has to learn how to speak Hokkien in order to communicate with my grandparents with the little education she received. I seriously think that i will break down sooner or later. Not only that, she has to forsake her dating life to come over to Singapore to work! Can you imagine?

Looking at the emotional baggage that they have to carry, i think we need to understand them and build the right relationship with them. In reference to this case, i think she really didn't mean to do it, but it's still a crime in doing so. I hope that maybe, employer could have learned to understand them and know how to build the right relationship with them.