CBC The Passionate Eye (2018.10.27) Maid In Hell

.

Why Slavery? Maid in Hell gives unprecedented access to a frightening and brutal form of modern-day slavery. Migrant women from around the world are hired as domestic helpers in the Middle East, but are unpaid and held captive by their employers — unable to change jobs or leave the country without their boss’s permission. With their passports confiscated, travel is impossible, and any attempt to leave their jobs can result in harsh punishment or imprisonment.

Every year, thousands of women from poorer countries in Africa and Asia travel to the Middle East seeking employment as domestic helpers. And every year thousands return home with horrifying accounts. Deceived into thinking they would earn a salary to support families back home, many are paid nothing. 18-hour work days are a commonplace reality. Many face harassment, abuse, or rape.

Following employment agents who vividly describe the trade, as well as maids who struggle to find a way home after harrowing, and sometimes, life-threatening experiences, Why Slavery? Maid in Hell exposes the grotesque reality faced by women each day.