Child maid trafficking spreads from Africa to US

[babylonsister]

Child maid trafficking spreads from Africa to US

RUKMINI CALLIMACHI | December 28, 2008 03:16 PM EST | AP


Shyima Hall, 19, who was 10 when she was trafficked to a gated community as a domestic worker, is shown on Friday, Sept. 19, 2008 in Beaumont, Calif. Hall worked as a servant for a wealthy Egyptian couple and was eventually taken by them to California, where she worked 20 hour days inside their posh home. She awoke before dawn and often worked past midnight to iron their clothes, mop the marble floors and dust the family's crystal. She earned $45 a month working up to 20 hours a day. The trafficking of children for domestic labor in the United States is an extension of an illegal but common practice among the upper class in Africa. (AP Photo/Ric Francis)


IRVINE, Calif. — Late at night, the neighbors saw a little girl at the kitchen sink of the house next door.

They watched through their window as the child rinsed plates under the open faucet. She wasn't much taller than the counter and the soapy water swallowed her slender arms. To put the dishes away, she climbed on a chair.

But she was not the daughter of the couple next door doing chores. She was their maid.

Shyima was 10 when a wealthy Egyptian couple brought her from a poor village in northern Egypt to work in their California home. She awoke before dawn and often worked past midnight to iron their clothes, mop the marble floors and dust the family's crystal. She earned $45 a month working up to 20 hours a day. She had no breaks during the day and no days off.

The trafficking of children for domestic labor in the U.S. is an extension of an illegal but common practice in Africa. Families in remote villages send their daughters to work in cities for extra money and the opportunity to escape a dead-end life. Some girls work for free on the understanding that they will at least be better fed in the home of their employer.

The custom has led to the spread of trafficking, as well-to-do Africans accustomed to employing children immigrate to the U.S. Around one-third of the estimated 10,000 forced laborers in the United States are servants trapped behind the curtains of suburban homes, according to a study by the National Human Rights Center at the University of California at Berkeley and Free the Slaves, a nonprofit group. No one can say how many are children, especially since their work can so easily be masked as chores.

more...

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/12/28/child-maid-trafficking-sp_n_153814.html

[MikeNearMcChord]

1. Punishment for these bastards.

Confiscate their property and award them to these exploited victims. Plus a nice 20 year stint for these sub-human orcs who pull stunts like that.

[Vincardog]

2. And you would rather that the children starve to death in Africa instead? Or have the females

put down like they do in China?

[Crunchy Frog]

19. Yes, because those are the only two possible options that exist.

I feel so virtuous now about keeping my own child slaves. :eyes:

[Vincardog]

37. OK so when your choice is " Watch your children starve or sell them into service" I am sure they

will be glad you ride that high horse.

[Gwendolyn]

38. Well, I'll ask it again. In this case the girl was sold to buy medical treatment

for the father.

We have plenty of dirt poor families in this country. People without medical insurance. Abused children living with crack head parents. If the idea isn't deplorable, why aren't we selling our own children into indentured servitude? Why is it okay to import them, but not give our own children the chance to benefit from this kind of arrangement?

[Vincardog]

40. As I recall this happened in Egypt. In the USA we are supposed to be above this. We will see if they

prosecute the * Mis-administration.
IF they don't we are no longer a country of laws, we will be a nation of thugs.

[Gwendolyn]

41. Did you read the article at all? An Egyptian family imported her into the US.

Ergo, my question. Shouldn't we be saving our own children by selling them instead of giving up the privilege to illegals?

And you're right. If they don't prosecute the * mis-administration then we might as well give up everything and just murder and gang-rape each other to death as well. That makes perfect sense.

[Vincardog]

45. Did you read the article at all? She is living better than the richest person in her village. Judge

not lest ...

[Gwendolyn]

46. "Judge not lest ye be judged"?

That's your response in answer to a child being brought to the US as a slave?


:rofl:


Are you for real?

I dunno, but according to the girl, it wasn't a day at the beach. I'll take her word for it, thanks.

[Vincardog]

49. That is my response to a child being sold into service in Egypt to pay for medical treatment

for her father. She provided her salary to her family for 10 years. IF they had not taken her on her father probably would have died.

I believe no one should be in slavery.
I believe everyone should have health care paid for by their government.
I believe that people living in the USA need to observe our laws.
I believe that people should not jump to knee jerk reaction to and situation.

[Gwendolyn]

51. No one has anything to say about what goes on in Egypt or Haiti, or anywhere else.

The story is about a couple who brought a vile custom to the states and made sure to hide their criminal activity (as they knew without a doubt that this is what it was) as soon as they entered the country.

Referring back to your post #2, you're calling out a poster for deploring the way the child was treated HERE. A couple that well-off is no doubt well-educated and worldly and could easily have adapted their behavior to the norms of our society. Yet they preferred not to and suffered the consequences for it.

The issue has absolutely nothing to do with "the ways" of other societies. If it did, then you could easily make the leap to say there's nothing wrong with selling our own children to pay for medical/dental bills, etc.

[lonestarnot]

50. Do you macaca too?

[Warpy]

3. You need to consider the source

The girls are from some of the poorest families on the planet. The chance to do shitwork for a rich family is a great one for most of them, much better than being married off at the age of nine to some old guy in the village who is as poor as they are.

This follows the "in service" tradition in force here and in Europe in the not too distant past, when young girls would be sent to learn how to be invisible cleaners for richer families. It was better than the hellish lives they'd had in urban slums with few jobs and fewer prospects open to them.

We can hardly judge these people for being and doing what we so recently were and did. Yes, it's a terrible system, but the poverty that has given rise to it is far, far worse.

If they're brought into this country, then our laws governing wages and education need to be observed. Judgment against the "employers" should reflect back wages and criminal charges if the girls have been assaulted in any fashion but economic.

[Book Lover]

6. I am very very surprised to hear this justification coming from you

These people are presented with nothing but shit choices. How can you possibly call "the chance to do shitwork for a rich family ... a great one" ?!

When my own great grandmother came to this country, she was a maid, exploited very much like the way these girls and young women are. She never had a good thing to say about the people who she worked for, and certainly never thought she had been offered a great choice.

Astounding.

[Warpy]

20. You failed to understand my post

and focus on the crushing poverty in the home country as the root cause of this practice.

"Justification," my ass.

[Book Lover]

27. Your post has a lot more in it than just "Consider how poor these people are"

Some of us here have relatives who were born in areas just as poor and lacking in opportunity as the slums of Egypt, and now I'm not just talking about my great-grandmother either. Being poor, even crushingly poor, in and of itself is not the very worst thing in the world to happen to someone. Being someone's slave with no avenue of escape, yes, is worse than being free.

[Warpy]

29. And you still fail to understand it.

However, never let it be said that I ever interfered with a condemnatory rant.

Have fun.

[Book Lover]

30. I understand what you are saying, I just can't agree

But let it not be said that I tried to force the horse to drink.

[Hannah Bell]

39. The crushing poverty of the home country isn't the root cause. The willingness of the "posh

families" to exploit that poverty is the root cause of the child being enslaved & paid $11/wk for a work-week of up to 140 hours. Yes, what a delicious "opportunity" for the poor child. $540/year, she could easily save $5000 in only - uh - 9.2 years? Assuming she never spent a dime, that is.

And the root cause of the crushing poverty can be laid on the doorstep of the same posh families.

[McCamy Taylor]

9. Wrong. Children have a right to education, health care, no labor in this country.

Child abuse is a serious offense and should receive serious punishment. Plus, these families should be monitored by Child Protective Services the whole time they are in the US to make sure that they do not abuse their natural children, since people who violate the rights of child slaves may also force their daughters to wed underage or practice genital mutilation or other crimes against children.

If they move here, they follow this country's laws, and we protect our children. We do not call them chattel. If we start letting immigrants bring their laws here, then our protections for our children weaken. If they do not like it, they can go back home. They are getting additional protections and freedoms here for themselves.

I hope that CPS is all over the family involved in this case. I have a very bad feeling about what may happen to the girls in that family as they get older. Being forced into marriage is a no-no here but is the norm in other parts of the world.

[fed_up_mother]

21. Thank you!

Next, we're going to accept Sharia law. It's just a custom, you know. :(

[lonestarnot]

48. Warpy? Is that really you?

[Marrah_G]

52. I am shocked to read this on DU......

I don't know what else to say.

[izquierdista]

7. Punishment

What makes you think that 'punishment' is what is required? Will punishment fix ALL wealthy Egyptians who have come to accept this practice? Can you beat the desire to be lazy and have other people do housework for you out of people? Tell me, how well does punishing work for curing people of substance abuse or curbing domestic violence? What makes this particular human inequity amenable to correction with lots of punishment?

I do get tired of the choruses of indignation here, however well intentioned they may be, that call for punishment, the more severe the better, to correct some defect of human behavior. That's the easy thing to do, just beat the perpetrator. It takes thinking and planning and work to figure out how to get people to act better in the long run.

[w4rma]

18. Punishment deters others from doing the same. Don't be an apologist for child exploitation. (nt)

[izquierdista]

32. Did it deter you?

Have you always submitted to punishments? Given up what you were punished for and changed your ways?

I suppose you support the death penalty too. Think that the reason we have murders is because the state doesn't murder enough people.

As for accusing me of being an apologist, I think you need to learn to think and process thoughts before you slap at the keyboard again.

[w4rma]

33. I don't support state sanctioned murder. Punishments ARE deterents.

To argue that they aren't is just ridiculous. Even if the threat might not deter you, it will deter thousands others.

[fed_up_mother]

22. Wealthy folks in the suburbs are well aware of our laws. I say punish away.

Besides, where do you draw the line? Which quaint customs are you willing to tolerate even if they're against our laws?

Maybe, when they sell her to a rich friend as a sex slave - afterall, she'll have a better life here - you'll find that acceptable, as well?

[Gwendolyn]

35. What do you suggest?

It isn't just wealthy Egyptians who engage in human trafficking. There are children and young women imported for sex slavery rings, particularly from former eastern bloc countries. Others include young and old, who are indebted to those who have smuggled them in, and work as slaves in kitchens or garment factories.

How would you approach the issue?

[Lisa0825]

4. They should adopt them, and then they can call it "doing chores."

I've known parents who treated their kids like servants.

[MountainLaurel]

8. That's been known to happen

If you look at adoption as it was in the 19th century, that's often how it worked out.

[supernova]

5. Disgusting

These people are wealthy enough to hire their own damn ADULT servants. Or, Heaven forfend, do their own damn housework!

:grr:

Child slavery ...

:cry:

edit: More strongly, I think anyone who comes here with the intent to carry on this "tradition" needs to be deported. Pronto.

[McCamy Taylor]

10. For the sake of their children, I suggest let them stay but have Child Protective Services follow

their family to make sure that their own children are not being forced to do anything that is not right---like making the girls' submit to an underage or forced marriage or mutilation. If you think that one child is chattel, you think that all children are chattel.

[supernova]

13. What about school, what about healthcare?

What about being able to be free from abuse and the right of consent to work?

What about those things? We have laws in this country that do cover children who work (as in the entertainment industry). Mostly, the kid has to be free to quit at any time with no consequences from those who feed off of his or her work.

All of that needs to be made very clear to these... "employers" and these child "employees."

Excusing this situation in the name of what? is strange to me.

[Joe the Liberal]

11. Wow she's hot......

It's a shame they have to work as servants like that, little to no pay, long hours, no days off. What makes it worse is that most don't have choice, sad situation indeed.

[CoffeeCat]

12. This is disgusting...

These people are rich, gated-community elites. They can afford to hire a legitimate maid service to polish their
marble floors.

They use children, because it's easy to prey on children and exploit them. Who is a ten-year old going to complain
to when she has to work 80 hours a week--until midnight every night? How likely is it that a child will know their
rights and understand when someone is exploiting them, violating laws and treating them like chattel?

Children don't know the laws. They don't know they have rights. They don't pick up the phone and call an attorney or
have the freedom to drive away from the situation.

Children are used in these situations because they are easily treated like slaves.

This is exploitation and it is abuse. These children are also vulnerable to physical, emotional and sexual abuse, as well.

Why would a rich couple in the United States continue to use a child in this way, when they don't need to????

The horrid possibilities are endless. That's why this is wrong and revolting. That's why we have laws against this
in the United States.

[supernova]

14. For every one excusing the couple..

This is for you. It has a western bent, but the message is the same.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=385x253702#253704

[conspirator]

15. They are lucky if they don't end up in the sex trade nt

[w4rma]

16. The laws need to be *enforced* in America. The wealthy should not be allowed to break laws because

they have wealth to give away. Enforce the law. Imprison and fine them. Use that government money to pay for child services.

[liberalmuse]

17. Anyone in the US, and I mean ANYONE...

caught either trafficking children or using child servants should be put in prison for life. No exceptions. Good lord.

[cbc5g]

23. Maybe we should ask her if she wanted to be in a poor egyptian community

or in california dusting and cleaning making money?


Just playing devils advocate, anyone forced to do something against their will is wrong.

But then again, none of you and I mean NONE know what it's like to live and grow up in a poor egyptian neighborhood. I guarantee you she had it far better working in a california home then she would have in egypt getting married off at 10 and abused by her husband til she dies etc etc.

[Book Lover]

24. So where in Egypt did you grow up and gain the experience we all lack?

n/t

[cbc5g]

25. Never said I did?

I'm just saying, you all are rushing to judgment before knowing the full extent to what is going on. Maybe their parents wanted a better life for her instead of just being another married off abused child slave in egypt? I wonder how many out in the world would gladly come to America to work in whatever way they could which sadly is sometimes trafficking and perhaps find a better life later on, or would rather stay in abhorrent conditions? There is no black and white, only gray.

I'll tell you what, if I were born a poor girl in Egypt, you are damn straight I would rather come to America whatever way I could. The rewards outweigh the risks.

[Book Lover]

26. But you can somehow guarantee that the life of slavery is better than the life of poverty

because one is in the US and the other in Egypt. Gotcha.

[Gwendolyn]

28. Well then, guess you could argue that there are plenty of poor, abused American children.

Shouldn't they get first dibs on the indentured servitude gig? Like this girl, their parents have no health insurance either, so why shouldn't they sell their kids to pay for costly surgery? Shouldn't we "take care of our own" first?

[Hannah Bell]

44. yes, good idea. american child slave labor over imported!

is this my country? i can't believe people on the "democratic" forum are excusing the "employers".

(don't mean you, g.)

[Sultana]

31. Lame excuse

You don't even seem to comprehend the horrors of being trafficked and working 24/7. Just because it took place in America doesn't make it better.

Oh, America is rich, you won't suffer as much. :eyes:

The Gulf countries are rich too should that excuse their abuses on domestic workers?

[supernova]

36. Do you honestly think they

are going to treat their little slave well?

Take her to school? Let her go on sleepovers and field trips like other American kids do? Take her to the Doctor when she is sick?

They already know this practice is shameful, otherwise they wouldn't try to hide it from the neighbors, or at least try to make it seem like she's just a "member" of the family who likes to work herself into a stupor.

[LeftyMom]

34. She was sleeping in a garage with no AC in Southern California.

It's kinda lucky she didn't die of heat stroke.

[Hannah Bell]

43. 20 hours workday? & sure, ALL poor Egyptian women get married at 10 &

are abused by their husbands til the day they die.

This is a big fat lie.

[Marrah_G]

53. wow.....................

:wow:

[Hannah Bell]

42. Seems it's always the rich folk using undocumented labor, slaves, & children.

That's how they got their money in the first place, & how they keep it. And (like some posters here) they claim they're doing good deeds as they suck people's blood.


This guy heads one of the biggest funds that (supposedly) got scammed by Madoff. In court because he disputes an injury claim by his undocumented chauffeur/gardener.

http://wcc.state.ct.us/CRB/1996/2010crb.htm

"The claimant worked for the employer, Monica and Walter Noel, at their residence where his duties included chauffeuring, gardening, and other household duties. The claimant was a native of Brazil and did not have any legal documents, such as a green card, which would enable him to work in the United States. The claimant injured his back on May 13, 1992 while lifting planter boxes at the employer’s residence. Several days following the accident, Monica Noel took the claimant to the emergency room due to his back pain, where he was prescribed muscle relaxants. Subsequently, on May 28, 1992, Monica Noel brought the claimant to Dr. Kavanaugh, who prescribed additional medication and bed rest. In June of 1992, Monica Noel accompanied the claimant to the hospital, and on June 25, 1992 he underwent surgery to repair a herniated disc. Upon discharge from the hospital, the employer allowed the claimant to recuperate at their home for one month, during which time he was provided room and board.

Section 31-275(9)(A)(i) C.G.S. defines an employee as “any person who has entered into or works under any contract of service or apprenticeship with an employer, whether such contract contemplates the performance of duties within or without the state....”

The employer contends that the claimant’s testimony regarding his injury was contradictory, and thus not credible....

The employer further contends that the commissioner improperly included a $750.00 per month allotment for room and board in determining the claimant’s benefit rate. We find no error.

The monetary value of room and board which is provided by the employer may be included in the determination of the claimant’s benefit rate.

In the instant case, the claimant was required to live at the employer’s residence during his employment. The commissioner determined that the value of the room and board equaled $750.00 per month. This determination is amply supported by the testimony of a real estate appraiser who estimated that the rental value of a room in the location of the employer’s residence was at least $850.00 per month. (Transcript of 3/4/93 at p. 38).

We find no merit to the employer’s argument that the value of room and board should not be included because the renting of a room was not permitted under the town’s zoning regulations.


The rules never apply to the rich. But they'll send YOU to jail quicker than snot if you try to do the same.

[lonestarnot]

47. Renumerators should be watching for these kids.