Maid abuse is the maltreatment or neglect of a person hired as a domestic worker, especially by the employer or by a household member of the employer. It is any act or failure to act that results in harm to that employee.[1] It takes on numerous forms, including physical, sexual, emotional, and economic abuse. The majority of perpetrators tend to be female employers and their children.[2] These acts may be committed for a variety of reasons, including to instil fear in the victim, discipline them, or act in a way desired by the abuser.[1]
The United States Human Trafficking Hotline describes maid abuse as a form of human trafficking— it is "force, fraud, or coercion to maintain control over the worker and to cause the worker to believe that he or she has no other choice but to continue with the work," they stated.[3] Although it can occur anywhere, it is most commonly experienced amongst domestic workers in Singapore.