‘All I hear is shouting, bullying, and verbal abuse' — Helper says she's been mistreated since day one
In her post on the Direct Hire Transfer Singapore Maid / Domestic Helper Facebook group, the helper said she was hired about two months ago and was initially hopeful about the job.
'When she [my employer] interviewed me, she kept texting me to come and join her family,' she wrote. 'At that time, [I had two other potential] employers, but it wasn't urgent, so I thought she liked me because she hoped I could join them.'
Unfortunately, things took a turn the moment she stepped into the household. 'From the first day I came to this house, all I hear is shouting, bullying and verbal abuse. Honestly, I just want to work, save money, and go home. No play or anything else,' she said.
She added that more recently, her employer suddenly told her, 'I don't like you,' which left her confused and upset.
'If she didn't like me, why did she keep asking me to come?' she asked. 'I can't take this, and I asked her to send me back to my hometown. Employers, can you help me with this situation? What should I do? Why is [she] like this?' 'This is already mental abuse.'
In the comments, one netizen encouraged the helper to try having an open and respectful conversation with her employer to understand the root of the problem.
'Have you tried to ask your employer why she is not happy with you so you can work on it? Sometimes, maybe she is stressed at work and takes it out on you. But if you check in with her like, 'Is there anything I can do better or improve?' maybe she will realise that she is lashing out at you a lot.'
Building on this, another netizen recommended that the helper consider requesting a transfer to a different employer rather than immediately asking to return home.
'What was the situation that led to her saying she doesn't like you? Might be better to ask her (or any family member who can make decisions) for a transfer because sending you back to your hometown costs her a ticket, and she might not want to pay also.'
Meanwhile, a third commenter urged the helper to prioritise her well-being, writing, 'This is already mental abuse!!! It's better to go home first, take a breath, [rest] for a while, and then apply for new jobs through an agency. Hopefully, you'll get a good employer.' Help for abused FDWs
As stated on the A.C.T Against Violence website, foreign domestic workers who are experiencing abuse, whether verbal, physical or in the form of labour exploitation, may report the matter to the police or call the FDW Helpline on 1800 339 5505 to speak with an officer from the Ministry of Manpower (MOM). See also Maid made to work while standing for 17 hours
They may also reach out to non-governmental organisations such as the Humanitarian Organisation for Migrant Economics (HOME), the Centre for Domestic Employees (CDE), and the Foreign Domestic Worker Association for Social Support and Training (FAST).
Read also: Fresh grad whose salary expectation is only S$2.8k–3k says he's still struggling to land a job
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CNA
7 hours ago
- CNA
Primary 1 registration 2025: 85 schools oversubscribed in Phase 2C
The most oversubscribed school in this phase was Princess Elizabeth Primary School in Bukit Batok, with 232 students vying for 41 slots. This was followed by Nan Hua Primary School in Clementi, with 166 applicants for 41 places, and South View Primary School in Choa Chu Kang, which received 155 applicants for 41 spots. Northland Primary School and Chongfu School, both in Yishun, completed the top five. Princess Elizabeth, Nan Hua and Chongfu were also in the top five in this phase last year. Registration for this phase opened at 9am Jul 29 and closed at 4.30pm on Jul 31. BALLOTING In most cases, balloting is conducted when the number of applicants exceeds the number of vacancies. It takes place in any phase from Phase 2A to Phase 2C supplementary. Priority admission into the school is given in this order: Singaporeans living within 1km of the school, Singaporeans living between 1km and 2km of the school, followed by Singaporeans living further than 2km from the school. Next come permanent residents in the same distance groups.
Independent Singapore
9 hours ago
- Independent Singapore
Monkey see, monkey flee: NParks' gel blaster tactic draws criticism and praise
Photo: Coconoteee's TikTok Account SINGAPORE: In a bid to manage the growing monkey population in Punggol, contractors from the National Parks Board (NParks) have turned to an unconventional deterrent. A video recently uploaded to TikTok shows NParks contractors using what appear to be gel blasters — toy guns that shoot soft, water-filled gel beads — to scare off monkeys near a housing block. The video captures several monkeys fleeing or avoiding the projectiles while curious residents and passersby look on. The tactic, while non-lethal, has sparked a wave of mixed reactions online. Some netizens found the scene humorous — comments like 'Best job ever. Where do I apply?' reflect a light take on the situation. Others, however, were more critical, expressing concern over animal welfare and the broader implications of urban expansion. 'Don't hurt them,' one user urged. Another added, 'Poor monkeys, it was their home.' Animal rights activists were quick to respond, with some resharing the video across their own platforms and criticizing what they see as an inadequate and inhumane approach. One impassioned comment read: 'Can the government think of a solution before building up concrete housing estates? Plan where to bring all these animals back to nature, rather than leave nature to take its place and disturb human beings. Have a place for these animals where they can stay ALIVE, SAFE, and happy.' Nparks has reported that the long-tailed macaque naturally inhabits forested areas. However, being a forest fringe animal, it also frequents its immediate surroundings to explore and forage for food, explaining why they have been spotted paying visits to nearby housing estates. Another commenter lamented, 'Humans have lost the ability to live in harmony with the rest of the planet.' The incident has once again brought attention to the ongoing conflict between urban development and wildlife in Singapore. While gel blasters are a less harmful alternative compared to other deterrents, critics argue that the root of the problem lies in habitat loss and a lack of long-term planning for coexisting with native wildlife. () => { const trigger = if ('IntersectionObserver' in window && trigger) { const observer = new IntersectionObserver((entries, observer) => { => { if ( { lazyLoader(); // You should define lazyLoader() elsewhere or inline here // Run once } }); }, { rootMargin: '800px', threshold: 0.1 }); } else { // Fallback setTimeout(lazyLoader, 3000); } });
CNA
12 hours ago
- CNA
Migrant workers involved in Tanjong Katong sinkhole rescue get SCDF awards, goodie bags for heroic act
SINGAPORE: Days after meeting the President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and his wife at the Istana, the seven migrant workers who rescued a woman from a sinkhole along Tanjong Katong Road South last month were once again awarded for their heroics. On Wednesday (Aug 6), the men were each presented with the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) Community Lifesaver Award during an appreciation ceremony organised by the Marine Parade Citizens' Consultative Committees. The event was held at a sheltered space between Blocks 74 and 75 Marine Drive. The SCDF award is presented to members of the public whose actions saved lives and involved an element of self-risk. The workers were also treated to an appreciation lunch, and were each given a goodie bag prepared by telecommunications company Singtel. The bag contained items such as a SG60 Merlion keychain plushie blind box, a handheld fan and essentials such as a 2.5kg sack of rice, shower cream, detergent powder and toothbrushes. Each worker also received a one-year unlimited 5G data plan from Singtel and a notebook personalised with their names. Mr Pitchai Udaiyappan Subbiah, the foreman of the construction site where the sinkhole appeared, told reporters that there was a lot of gratitude flowing to he and his workers, with people thanking them for their actions. Speaking to the media through a translator, the workers said they were proud to have received the SCDF award and hope to stay in Singapore until the end of their working lives. They were earlier awarded an appreciation coin from the Manpower Ministry for their rescue effort. Witnessing the SCDF award ceremony on Wednesday, Minister of State for the Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of Social and Family Development Goh Pei Ming thanked the workers for putting themselves in the line of risk to step forward and help the driver "instead of running away from the danger". "The whole nation has seen what you did that day. We are all very grateful for your bravery. Singapore is better because you have played a part in helping to support and build the Singapore, very good parts of it, we have today," he added. Mr Goh, who is also the Member of Parliament representing the Marine Parade-Braddell Heights ward where the sinkhole incident occurred, also commended the workers for their hard work in repairing the sinkhole and reinstating the affected sections of the road that reopened in stages from last Saturday. The sinkhole appeared along Tanjong Katong Road South on Jul 26, causing a car to fall in. It was adjacent to a PUB worksite that involved the construction of a 16m-deep shaft. APPRECIATION FOR WORKERS INVOLVED IN ROAD REPAIR Apart from the seven workers, 43 others who were involved in the road repair efforts were also each given the goodie bag, Singtel said in a Facebook post on Wednesday. Four of these workers were present at the ceremony. They are Mr Dharmalingam Venkatraman, 49; Mr Anandan Prakash, 29; Mr Balakrishnan Balamurugan, 27; and Mr John Peter Benish Albert, 28. Working a mix of day and night 12-hour shifts, the workers managed to gradually reopen Tanjong Pagar Road South to the public on Aug 4, nine days after the incident. Speaking to reporters towards the end of the event, Mr Goh said his current focus was on engaging residents living near the sinkhole. He had met with the management of One Amber condominium located near the road where the sinkhole had appeared, and reassured them and the residents that the buildings were safe. The minister of state added that he will be conducting house visits in the weeks to come to meet and hear directly from the residents on their concerns. Asked for updates on the sinkhole incident, Mr Goh noted that the national water agency PUB and the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) are still carrying out independent investigations. "I think it's important to give them the time and the space to do a full investigation so that we can prevent such incidents in the future," he added.
