A study in Hong Kong showed that one in six migrant domestic workers in the country is a victim of forced labor, of which a significant proportion have been trafficked.
Research by the Justice Centre Hong Kong said more than 80% of the country’s 336,600 domestic workers are abused, some working 20 hours a day.
One of three Hong Kong households with children pays a maid, mostly from Philippines and Indonesia.
The study also found out that abused domestic workers work an average of over 70 hours a week, yet barely receive above the minimum monthly wage.
The abuse of domestic helpers made international headlines last year when a mother was sentenced to six years in prison for recurrently abusing and assaulting her maids. In 2013, a couple was jailed for torturing their maid.
The Justice Centre said the government often treated these cases as isolated incidents.
The study surveyed more than 1,000 domestic workers from eight countries about their recruitment, salary, work conditions, and treatment.
The Justice Centre advised the government to create clear guidelines on working hours. They also called for eliminate the requirement for maids to “live in” in order to decrease the risk of exploitation, as well as tougher action on unscrupulous employment agencies that overcharge migrant workers.
