By: Natasha Archary
A Zimbabwean migrant domestic worker has exposed the family she was employed by for sexual abuse and exploitation.
This after the family from Pretoria dismissed the domestic worker on 24 August 2022.
According to the United Domestic Workers of South Africa (UDWOSA) President, Pinky Mashiane said there is a rising number of domestic workers who have been sexually harassed and abused by their employers.
“It’s been going on for years where domestic workers are harassed and sexually abused by employers. Most don’t report the cases because they are afraid they will be victimised, lose their jobs or because they’re told they don’t have evidence.
The most recent case is where a migrant domestic worker was sexually exploited by three members of a family she was working for. It’s shocking that the wife, husband and son of this family had all sexually harassed, abused and exploited the domestic worker.”
President of UDWOSA, Pinky Mashiane reveals that sexual abuse on domestic workers is on the rise
Speaking to Phemelo Motene on Point of View, Mashiane said the domestic worker was first exploited by the wife, who would call her employee into her room to massage her genitals with olive oil.
She further claims that the husband and son had also sexually harassed and abused her, leaving her traumatised.
“The son entered the domestic worker’s room without her permission and touched her inappropriately. In another incident, she tells us that the husband had called her into the room when he was naked.
Not knowing that the man of the house was naked, the domestic entered the room because her employer was calling her. Only for the husband to grab the domestic and hold her while making sexual moves behind her until he relieved himself.”
The domestic worker was employed by the family in 2019 and says that her abuse started from 2020 to 2021.
Originally from Saudi Arabia, the family’s reasons for dismissing the domestic worker because they are returning to their home country.
UDWOSA condemns the abuse of the domestic worker and has taken steps to report the matter with the South African Police Services (SAPS). In addition the union is seeking justice and legal recourse via the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) for unfair dismissal.
Listen to the conversation on Point of View with Phemelo Motene:
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