Jailed: Woman who forced maid to strip and shower in front of her
SINGAPORE — A woman who forced her maid to strip and shower in front of her was on Tuesday (17 August) jailed for 15 months and two weeks.
Rosdiana Abdul Rahim, 33, was also ordered to pay the victim $2,500 in compensation, failing which she would have to serve another 11 days behind bars.
The culprit had been found guilty last month after a trial on six counts of abusing the foreign domestic worker.
The charges are for insulting the then 21-year-old maid's modesty; using criminal force by pushing her into the shower; causing hurt to her eyes by putting powder on her face; threatening to harm the maid's family; pinching and kicking the victim's genitals; and failing to give her adequate rest between 29 September and 12 December 2017.
Rosdiana is out on bail of $10,000, pending an appeal against both conviction and sentence.
About the case
The victim was working at Rosdiana's home from 29 September to 12 December 2017, after which she was sent back to the maid agency. During that period, she was not given any days off. Aside from household chores she also cared for Rosdiana's children, a pair of nine-year-old twins.
She would be required to go to Rosdiana's mother's home almost daily to care for the children while Rosdiana and her husband were at work.
The victim would sleep at irregular and late hours, sometimes past 1am. She would wake up between 5am and 6am.
Despite the lack of rest, she was forbidden from taking naps during the day. She initially slept on a pull-out bed, but was later forced to sleep on the carpet in the children’s room.
Later, Rosdiana made the victim sleep on the floor outside the common toilet. But the victim chose to sleep underneath the cupboard in the living room instead. She was not given a blanket or pillow.
A batik cloth that she used to cover herself was thrown away by Rosdiana, who said that it was smelly. Rosdiana also threw away the maid's clothing and towel, ostensibly for the same reason. She then bought the maid new clothing but deducted the cost from the victim's salary, which she never gave to the victim.
A week into her employment, the victim told Rosdiana that she did not wish to continue as she felt that the latter was fierce. Rosdiana then asked for the telephone number of the victim's parents, demanding monetary compensation as she did not get the maid "for free".
After the phone call, the victim's father begged the maid to continue her employment as he did not have means to compensate her. The victim thus continued working for the culprit.
In November 2017, Rosdiana told her victim that she was smelly and insisted that the maid show her how she showered and dried herself without a towel, which the culprit had thrown away.
Rosdiana then dragged the maid to the toilet and sprayed water on her while she was still fully clothed. The perpetrator then put shampoo on the victim's head and demanded that she remove her clothing. The maid complied.
At one point, Rosdiana's husband entered the room and the maid tried to cover herself. But Rosdiana told the victim that her husband "would not be interested". Afraid, the maid cried and remained silent.
Rosdiana then insisted that the victim dry herself in the room, where her husband was, without a towel.
In another incident, Rosdiana's family and the victim were preparing to stay at a hotel for three days when the culprit called the victim "ugly". Rosdiana then poured baby powder all over the maid's face and forbade her from removing the powder. She also threatened to harm the maid's family.
At the hotel, the rest of the family shared the bed while the victim slept on the cold room floor. Rosdiana even stopped the maid from using a bath towel to cover herself.
After another act of abuse, Rosdiana's husband drove the victim to the maid agency and dropped her off on 12 December 2017.
The maid had no idea that she was being sent back, and had no belongings with her. At the agency, she revealed the acts of abuse and was brought to a police station to make a report.
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