Exploring Inequality & Mistreatment of Domestic Workers in Hong Kong - Essay Sample

Introduction

Hong Kong domestic workers are mainly outsourced from neighboring countries such as the Philippines, Indonesia, and Thailand. They comprise of up to five percent of the population, and a majority of them are women; 98.5% to be precise. According to the Hong Kong law, the domestic workers are expected to live with their employer where they conduct various tasks such as serving, cooking, cleaning and taking care of the children. However, in the recent past, domestic workers in Hong Kong have been mistreated, and there have been reports of inequality including them being denied residency in the country, poor working conditions, being subjected to modern slavery, domestic abuse and in some cases the failure of the employer to pay the local workers.

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Statement of the Matter

In the last couple of years, Hong Kong has made headlines for all the wrong reasons after it was reported that foreign domestic workers were being mistreated. In an interview with one of the survivors, it emerged that the Philippines who were working in Hong Kong as domestic workers were going through a struggle in Hong Kong. The survivor indicated that she physically ran away from her employee bleeding from wounds she that had been inflicted to her by her employer and vowed never to look back. Her employer had slapped while abusing her. In addition, she had gone through months without sleep and insomnia was slowly catching up with her. The employer had accused her of cooking with dirty water, and on that fateful day, she was slapped, pushed t the ground, and thrown out of the apartment.

There are more than 165,000 Philippine immigrants who work as domestic workers in Hong Kong; a country where women make up a majority of these domestic workers. Many of them have gone through similar experiences, and in some instances, they barely survive the working conditions in some of these homes. Nevertheless, many of them suffer in silence because they their primary purpose is supporting their families back at home. Many employers, therefore, take advantage of this situation and in most cases, the domestic workers are caught in a continuous cycle of debt and violence.

It has also emerged that many of these women are not paid the same wages as those native to Hong Kong. Many are paid the minimum wage acceptable once a month which is at $550. The daily working hours have no regulations, but they are at least allowed to rest once a week. According to the Immigration Department, the workers VISA are dependent on the fact that they must live with their employers. This is where the problem is. The workers have no choice but to live with their employers which then makes everything invisible. The workers can easily be exploited.

The government has also set up institutions and agencies that are aimed at helping domestic workers from abuse from their employers, but it has emerged that the institutions are not effective and in some cases, authorities are used by locals in which case no action is taken. Help for Domestic Workers (HELP) is one of these agencies which has helped a good number of survivors escape the harsh employment condition and in some cases even death. However, it has also emerged that if the domestic worker reports the employer, the employer responds by reporting them or filling a complaint about the employee whereby they falsely accuse them of actions such as theft.

Essay's Objective/Purpose

The article aims at exposing what domestic workers are going through in Hong Kong. The article reviews secondary sources that highlight the plights of domestic workers of Philippine origin in Hong Kong who suffer at the hands of their employer. It also indicates the various ways through which these employees are mistreated with the aim of raising awareness which will champion for change and better working conditions for the domestic worker in Hong Kong. It will also indicate some of the measures that the government and other non-governmental organizations are undertaking to curb this particular vice.

Hypothesis

Foreign domestic workers are currently being exploited and mistreated in silence in Hong Kong because of government reluctance, employer-power misuse, and the failure by the employees to understand their rights.

Literature Review

Constable indicates that Filipina domestic workers who are primarily women are viewed from a very negative point of view. Some employers have in the past indicated that they are sexually threatening and therefore, they need to be strictly disciplined. He further analyzes the sexuality situation in Hong Kong and suggests that these worker's reputation has been linked mainly with the ambiguous and unclear class and social identities that are attributed to the economic and familiar landscape or face disciplinary action. These clothes are often subject to the employer's opinion, and therefore, he/she is responsible for determining whether the clothes are 'sexy' or not.

Cheng highlights the working conditions of migrant women working as domestic workers in Hong Kong from a legal point of view. In his analysis, he focuses mainly on Hong Kong but compared it with other countries in East and Southern Asia such as Singapore and Taiwan. He notes that the number of women who have taken up domestic work as an occupation has been as a result of the feminization of migration in this region. As such, there was a need to have a gender-sensitive approach when understanding the vulnerability that these women face. The paper also emphasizes the need to have adequate protection rights for many of these women and the government need to take action to contain these vulnerabilities.

The article by Bell and Piper focuses on the difference between the Western nations and the Eastern countries in terms of extending to long-term residency for most of the immigrants by ensuring that they have access to citizenship and are consequently accorded all the legal rights of citizens which is also provided to their descendants. In the developed Western democracies, this particular situation is possible. In the Eastern developed countries, the situation is different. Workers work under contracts that are mainly short-term, and the chances of them becoming equal members of society are very minimal. Therefore, there is a need to explore the social system and practices that make Eastern countries different from those in the West.

It has emerged that Hong Kong attracts a large number of foreign domestic workers and especially women. Pan and Cortes explore the Foreign Domestic Workers (FDW) provide affordable live-in help in Hong Kong as well as how this factor affects the native residence's welfare and labor supply, especially for women. Hong Kong has also been identified in the article as a country that has a different FDW program as compared to other Asian nations. With the help of a cross-sectional variation in the cost of the program, the researchers are able to identify how and why the hiring of FDW has increased especially for women.

Holroyd, Eleanor, Molassiotis, and Ruth conducted a research of close to 290 female domestic workers from the Philippines who were residing in Hong Kong, which involved conducting a survey that was designed to provide a comprehensive report featuring credible data from measurement on the mental health symptoms, health locus, social support and health-related behaviors. It emerged that the workers exhibited symptoms of psychological distress such as loneliness, walking in the early hours, insomnia, and worry. The survey also indicated that there were very few preventive health practices. The study concluded that there were very few healthcare services for immigrants and those that are available are not readily accessible.

A study was carried out on 600 Filipina women working as domestic workers in Hong Kong with the aim of determining their psychological and social adjustment. This study was conducted by Bagley, Christopher, Susan Madrid, and Floyd Bolitho who wished to shed more light on the reason for high cases of immigration from the Philippines by these women as well as the stress these women face in Hong Kong under their employers. The study's control subject involved a group of well-educated women who had migrated for the purposes of adventure as compared to those who work as domestic workers in Hong Kong. Those working as domestic workers exhibited poor mental health as a result of abuse from their employers, while others had problems that relate to both family and debt problems back at home.

Analysis

It is evident from the literature review that the working conditions in Hong Kong for many of these domestic workers need to be improved. The government has let the Foreign Domestic Workers down by failing to come up with policies that protect them from abuse from their employers as well as policies that would guarantee these workers permanent residency when compared to many developed nations. Foreign domestic workers are physically and mentally abused without being provided with the basic healthcare that they require.

Revise Hypothesis

Therefore, foreign domestic workers are currently being exploited and mistreated in Hong Kong because of government reluctance, employer-power misuse, and inadequate rights and a legal framework that would protect them from various forms of exploitation.

Conclusion

The article provides evidence that reveals the level of exploitation Philippine domestic workers face in Hong Kong and the effects it has on their lives. The local government in Hong Kong needs to protect these citizens as if they were their own. Non-governmental agencies that have been advocating for the rights of these foreign citizens should be empowered to ensure that these vices are eradicated. Besides, action needs to be taken against employers who misuse their power by exploiting their workers. There is a need for a robust legal framework that ensures that all citizens, whether foreign or domestic, are protected. In the meantime, foreign communities need to continue developing a strong network of collection resources which provides both healthcare and negotiates for better working conditions.

Works Cited

Bagley, Christopher, Susan Madrid, and Floyd Bolitho. "Stress factors and mental health adjustment of Filipino domestic workers in Hong Kong." International Social Work 40.4 (1997): 373-382.

Bell, Daniel A., and Nicola Piper. "Justice for migrant workers? The case of foreign domestic workers in Hong Kong and Singapore." Multiculturalism in Asia (2005): 196-222.

Cheng, Shu-Ju Ada. "Migrant women domestic workers in Hong Kong, Singapore and Taiwan: A comparative analysis." Asian and Pacific migration journal 5.1 (1996): 139-152.

Constable, Nicole. "Sexuality and discipline among Filipina domestic workers in Hong Kong." American Ethnologist 24.3 (1997): 539-558.

Cortes, Patricia, and Jessica Pan. "Outsourcing household production: Foreign domestic workers and native labor supply in Hong Kong." Journal of L...