Legal action against

Legal action against maid-beaters

From Suara Karya

The beating to death of a domestic servant by a housewife and her two children in a housing complex in Tangerang, Banten, recently was a heart-rending story. More tragically, the maid was allegedly killed after denying the family's accusation that she had stolen a loaf of bread.

Whoever the perpetrators are, regardless of their status or position, they deserve strong punishment pursuant to the applicable law. For the sake of upholding justice, law enforcers should handle this serious criminal case properly and those found guilty need to be severely punished.

The widespread cases of maltreatment of maids is believed to be due to the absence of a law protecting these workers, which makes employers unaware of the rights of domestic employees and often treat them as they wish.

While no standard terms of work have been regulated, employers and maids usually agree on such things informally without written contracts. If any breach of their accords takes place, it is often settled unilaterally, in favor of employers.

CECILIA SRI UTAMININGSIH Jakarta