Prosecutors contended Varsha Sabhnani was primarily responsible for inflicting years of abuse on the poorly educated servants, Her husband, they said, allowed the conduct to take place and benefited from the work the women performed in their $2 million Long Island home.
Prosecutors suggest the women (servants) are due more than $1.1 million, including overtime, but defense attorneys said the figure should be much lower.
This is good news. It’s good to see the how the American justice system deals with this, and also the response of many Americans for this case. Many were appalled that something like this happened in their country, today – in the 21st century, nonetheless. But the thing that pisses me off about this is the fact that the dirty American infidels foreigners are more concerned about the welfare and fate of one of us than our own government.
There are so many cases alike and even more horrifying cases happening to Indonesian domestic workers working overseas (TKW) in countries like Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Saudi Arabia and other Middle Eastern countries. Some of our TKWs were not only abused and tortured but also raped and in some cases were forced to return home pregnant with no money to show for their hard work. Despite this, our government are still doing nothing about it, as if the lives of these TKWs don’t matter because aftre all, they are ‘only’ poor, uneducated domestic helpers.
Even more horrifying, these tortures do not only occur overseas, but in the homes of some Indonesians as well. This disgust me more, because although having foreigners treat Indonesian domestic helpers is certainly not right, the thought of Indonesians treating one of their own badly is worse. I have yet to see a trial finding a rich employer guilty of servant abuse and a prison sentence for them in Indonesia.
I have read here (the story is in Indonesian, sorry) that an Indonesian Ambassador posted in one European country (or maybe his wife?) abuses their domestic helpers. While many of their staff know about this, nobody is doing anything about it because:
a. It’s the Ambassador (or his wife), and
b. Even if someone does anything about it, the poor domestic helpers and the person(s) that reports it will be the ones screwed over because as many people know, in Indonesia, the people in power/money/position almost always have the upper hand.
The Philippines have quite a good law protecting their domestic helpers’ rights. Filipino domestic workers working overseas are well-trained and they know their rights. Their government set a minimum wage and protects their interests by having their employers sign contracts for them which guarantees their salary, right to annual leave, health-care and so on.
There was a similar case here in Brussels where the previous Philippines Ambassador for Belgium was caught abusing his domestic helpers but was sued by them then deported and had his career flushed down the toilet. I hope the Indonesian Ambassador will suffer the same fate.
I know that arrogance of people in power is one of the negative traits of the human race. It seems for some, the higher the position, the more money and/or power he has, the more arrogant he becomes. Some delusional individuals even think they are invincible and immune from law.
One perfect example is some Indonesian diplomats here who think that they can do just about anything because they have ‘diplomatic immunity’. One even said he doesn’t care about the new non-smoking regulations in restaurants in Belgium and that the local government can’t do anything to him because of again, his diplomatic immunity as if having that privilege is a prerequisite to the retirement of his brain use and rationale.
However twisted, these stories have a silver lining, at least for me. It reminds me not to do what these people did, and to be a more compassionate human being to others, no matter how rich, how powerful or how high of a position I might one day possess.
How about you?
A good starting point would be to bring “domestic workers” within the minimum wage laws.
Not just ambassador, but here, in Indonesia, there’s no law especially the non smoking law.
Indonesia with their colonial culture, where the King replace with the Rich, makes domestic worker position is the same as lower kasta in India.
Disgusting ? Yes, couldn’t agree more than you.
Am speechless.
Well, as long is my brain and rationale has not yet retired, I have no option but to join your indignation.
On this one I’m not as sure as I wished I would be:
“It reminds me not to do what these people did, and to be a more compassionate human being to others, no matter how rich, how powerful or how high of a position I might one day possess.
How about you?”
I have my doubts when it comes to what i might do in the very improbable case I would join the elevated and select company of the high and mighty. Because power corrupts and very much power corrupts very much, there is no guarantee at all I would escape.
I would bet on the democratic institutions to keep the bloodthirsty, greedy and cruel part of the human personality in check.
Perhaps if people practice the “Do unto others as you would have done unto you” law, as well as trying to “Put yourself in other people’s shoes”, human beings can respect and appreciate each other, no matter what jobs, status or position they have.
I always try to be nice to waiters/waitresses who bring me food at restaurants, especially if they give good services (as they should).
But when people don’t respect/give bad services/treatments to me, I don’t hesitate to turn into the queen bitch from hell lol
Nicely Done Rima..Bastards are bad RICH ARROGANT BASTARDS are the pond scum of life
Maybe the reason why they used foreign domestic helpers because they can be abused and most probably won’t say anything about it.
I couldn’t express my relief when I read it on the news.
Tell me about it.
I could write volumes about how the common folk in Indonesia are victims of the despicable tyranny of these people who have been vested with their trust and mandate to lead.
Blood sucking bastards, they are insignificant assholes in their self glorified positions – nothing more than a speck of lousy filthy dirt and that is all that they can afford – DIRT!
And the irony of it all is, who’s fault is it?
It is the common man’s fault. They betray their own well being for a few silver coins. The common man in Indonesia piss and moans about the injustice heaped upon them but time after time, they are lured by cash handouts from these corrupt politicians.
people with temper shouldn’t have a domestic helper. Or wife. Or kids.
The woman looks like a mixture of the evil stepmother from snow white and the witch from sleeping beauty. Sometimes high education does not mean you know what is right from wrong. Someone as rich as they are dare to oppress the maids because they think their money can buy their innocence in a court of law. If I were the judge, I would sentence that witch to be a maid for 11 years with the same treatment she did to her maids before.
Brett: Yes, that would be a good starting point. I doubt our government cares about domestic helpers though.
tere616: It is disgusting. Apparently some people are just plain evil.
colson: I hope you will not be one of those. I think if we have constant reality checks like this, we will be able to stay compassionate towards others.
therry: you are true. and people should believe that what goes around comes around. it’s true.
oigal: yes they are stump.
Andie Summerkiss: Me too. I cannot understand people like them, don’t they have hearts?
Wind Mill: you should write them in your blog too!
koko: I agree. They shouldnt have money and friends either.
Elyani: Exactly what I thought when I saw her photo!! She looks like an evil witch!!
Nice punishment that you thought off by the way. lol
Rim,
Just want to share my own experience when I wanted to apply for a new Indonesian passport back in 2002. It was spring time, I came after a morning working, to KBRI in The Hague, wearing my working outfit and strappy sandals. By the time I approached the gate, 2 people from pos jaga asked the reason why I came there. I said for applying a new passport, then they asked whether I wore a pair of shoes which covered my toes. I didn’t, so I wasn’t allowed to enter the embassy. This stupid ‘rule’ was made by the then ambassador’s wife. A woman at the lobby saw this & came to my rescue, she was wearing her husband’s loafers & suggested me to do so (fortunately my husband wore loafers) which I did.
I see this also as an arrogance of People in Power. Mending tentang hal yang penting!
The bastards should be sentenced to a life of a domestic helper forever and a good place to send them would be the maid’s Kampung.
Nothing like walking in ones shoes to gain a healthy respect for others.
@gj: Gee, that’s a bit harsh, don’t you think? Why should the kampung suffer?!
@GJ:
Your comment reminds me of this TV series of typical American family who stay for a month in an out-of-nowhere and far-from-civilisation country in which they had to endure making fire from nothing to cook their food, go hunting and do ritual dances with the local tribes etc.
I’ve watched it several times and some of the American children were pretty stressed out because of it…lol
I forgot what’s the name of that show …
I was thinking about this earlier. How come most of the victims are Indonesians?
I think one of the main cause is that Indonesians (especially women) are so submissive. So, in a way they give these abusers more power by letting themselves be treated like cr*p.
It’s the culture (see stuff Indonesians like #4 and #5) that makes them that way. It’s not their fault at all, but they need to stop letting themselves be abused.
I think the best way to minimize this problems (besides making new laws to protect Indonesian domestic workers, which is also important, but would take forever to realize, seeing the current Indonesian political situation -sorry for the run on sentence, it’s an Indonesian thing, hehe), we need to educate these domestic workers, teach them self-worth, teach them to stop being too nice to their bosses. They need to understand that they don’t deserve to be treated like sh*t! They really need to realize that they are helping the bosses at least as much as they’re helped by them (you know, they always think, “but I need the money, how else would I get this kind of money,” and all those stuff)
In general, Indonesians need to stop thinking that they’re not as worthy as [non indonesians, foreigners, english speakers, bule, etc] –okay, the last one was off topic.
Btw, Rima, nice blog!
good opinion,,
do you have any other article containing about what arrogance people think about them self?
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