An Indonesian domestic helper told a Hong Kong court on Monday that she had been tortured by her employer, with a vacuum cleaner tube placed in her mouth and twisted to cause lacerations, public broadcaster RTHK said.<\/p>\n
The landmark trial, featuring pictures of Erwiana Sulistyaningsih’s bruised body<\/strong>, has sparked international outrage at the treatment of maids in the Asian financial center. Sulistyaningsih’s employer, Law Wan-tung, a former beautician, faces 20 charges,<\/strong> including inflicting grievous bodily harm, assault, and criminal intimidation.<\/p>\n The public broadcaster said Law appeared calm as she pleaded not guilty to all the charges, except one, of failing to take out an insurance policy for an employee.<\/p>\n The domestic helper told the court, through an interpreter, that her employer had slapped, scratched, and punched her.<\/p>\n She said her employer had also hit her with hangers, mop handles and a ladder, and she was not paid or allowed enough food or rest, Hong Kong’s public broadcaster RTHK reported.<\/p>\n Sulistyaningsih was only allowed to sleep from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. each day, and given six pieces of bread and a bowl of rice, she added.<\/p>\n While cases of such harsh treatment are rare, Hong Kong’s policies on migrant workers have made maids reluctant to report abuse for fear of losing their livelihoods and being deported<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Maids are paid a minimum wage equivalent to about $520, an attractive sum for women fleeing poverty elsewhere in Asia.<\/strong><\/p>\n Hong Kong, a former British territory that returned to Chinese rule in 1997, has about 300,000 foreign domestic helpers, most of them from the Philippines and Indonesia.<\/p>\n In April, Time magazine ranked Sulistyaningsih among its 100 Most Influential People, alongside Russian president Vladimir Putin and U.S. singer Beyonce.<\/p>\n Source Reuters<\/em> An Indonesian domestic helper told a Hong Kong court on Monday that she had been tortured by her employer, 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Indonesian domestic helper told a Hong Kong court on Monday that she had been tortured by her employer, 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\n<\/strong>
\nFormer Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono denounced her treatment as torture.<\/p>\n
\n<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"