This girl's story was the subject of a Letter to the Editor of the South China Morning Post published on November 13th, 1989. In a call for action to prevent these sorts of things from happening the writer stated:
"This issue will never get the high profile publicity given to the more political cases, such as that of the dissident swimmer who overstayed his visa. But, then again, maybe it will, if we wait until a distressed amah commits suicide or one of them dies in a fire, imprisoned in a locked up shop."
On September 6th, 1990 a Filipina helper (who had been badly bitten by her employer's child and then dismissed for attending a hospital and thus reporting it) tried to throw herself off a window ledge at the Philippine Consulate - the 22nd floor of the Regent Centre in Queen's Road Central.
The Philippine Labour Attache and two firemen, both later given the Chief Officer's Commendation Award for Bravery, managed to prevent her from falling to the ground she fell to a ledge, three floors below. Following her physical recovery she was placed under psychiatric care pending her repatriation to the Philippines.
More letters were written to the press asking what was going to be done to try and prevent such tragedies. Apart from the usual "each case is looked at on its own merits" (and a lot of employers complaining that they too were being badly treated) no official response has been forthcoming.
So now you are piecing together Leila's story:
"Leila" is directed to work, under threat of dismissal, all day in her employer's shop in Western District - from 7.00 am and then return "home" to do the housework, washing and ironing and only then is she allowed to go to bed at around 2.00 am. That is a working day of about 19 hours!
This is slavery in any context and this sort of thing has got to be stopped - and stopped quickly - before a desperate foreign domestic helper succeeds in committing suicide.
Picking up a telephone or someone who falls down beside you can be a help. Picking up a dead body is no help at all.
Leila's friends and relatives are worried about her mental as well as her physical health. So are we but no one will reveal her real name or whereabouts.
We also worry about the mental condition of the people who can do these things to others - but that is another problem.
8
Appendix B