She is a maid. A poor woman struggling to feed her four daughters. The husband wanted a son. In the desire to have a son he does not remarry, she had three abortions/miscarriages and four daughters. At 30 she started looking 50. The husband, comfortable in the knowledge that the wife earns by sweeping houses and washing clothes, and in between washing dishes in some houses from 7 am in the morning till 6 pm feels no need to give her any money to run the house or feed the children.
Mistress of one house she worked for was kind and bought her a 2 marla land near DHA Lahore and helped her make a one bedroom, bathroom and kitchen area. As the girls grew, the second eldest wanted an education. Another mistress funded for it on a monthly basis. The maid made a mistake. Instead of giving the eldest the same opportunity, she was the glorified mother looking after the younger siblings so the mother could go to work.
The maid’s husband in the meanwhile, was enamored with a married woman. A woman whose husband, an electronic mechanic, fed her, dressed her in clothes above her station, who was perfumed and powdered, coquettish enough to win the maid’s husband’s heart.
His visits to the mechanic’s wife when he was at work became frequent. Also when he visited his village the maid’s husband started spending nights there. Upon questioning by the wife, she was thrashed thoroughly. Once he split open her head. The maid, quieted down after that. Having been taught a lesson and her place in the relationship.
As time passed the maid’s affair with the technician’s wife became common knowledge. It was during this time that the maid had two miscarriages and a daughter. A few months later the technician was found murdered in a field nearby. After the initial suspicion of police on both, and many months of pleading their respective cases, both were set free to live together happily ever after.
Except the story was far from living happily ever after for the maid. She continues to toil daily for her daughter. A frail woman. Fighting life every day to put bread in the mouth of her girls. Her husband, married his powdered love and had a daughter.
The maid is luckier than most. She found good houses and helping hands. Not everyone does so. The case of the IHC indicting a judge and is wife for torturing a 10 year old girl is an example. Her hands and face bore marks of torture when she was recovered from their house.
One problem of mistreatment in younger domestic help arises from victims’ acceptance of the ill treatment as norm- in many cases dirt poor that they would rather overlook the ill treatment for the money received monthly.
The pay structure depends on whether help is coming in for a few hours daily or a live-in. It also depends on the residential area she is going to work.
Showing respect to those who work for us every day is a good thing. Someone on Laborers Day asked on social media asked, “How many of you gave your maid(s)a day off?”
To say all maids or/and domestic help is mistreated will be wrong. There are ugly incidents that are hushed owing to the employer’s position. These cases are not reported. One such incident is of a maid hired for a three year old who, for a meager amount of money would hand over the child to a chowkidar when the parents were out for a party.
Areas like DHA Lahore request residents to have forms of hired help filled out and their DHA cards made. This is a policy line many residents themselves do not follow though it is for their own protection to avoid thefts in homes. Though many are genuine workers, there are many incidents of some joining in the ranks as domestic help to conduct thefts in homes.
On the other hand one witnesses bonds of deep affection between the domestic help and the employers as a result of long term relationship. Especially where its crosses one generation to another of serving a house. The relationship goes beyond a monthly salary to looking after their other many needs including children schooling, their education (in many cases) marriages, finding jobs for the children, looking after their medical needs so on and so forth.
However, in many set ups, a feudal mindset is prevalent thereby treating maids and other servants less than human. Such mind set need not necessarily stem from feudal alone. Even with them, many look after the needs of those so dependent. From making sure their clans are fed, to handling any cases they have to clothing them. Yes, there is a price for everything and there is nothing as a free lunch.