‘Maid detectives’ rescue trafficking victims

Rima Jayanti has not had formal training in detective work but with her sharp eye and gut instinct, her task is to spot Indonesian women at Jakarta’s bustling airport in danger of being sent abroad to a life of domestic servitude.

Making her rounds, the 23-year-old quickly points out groups of women likely heading abroad to work as maids.

“We can tell from their appearance - sometimes with a bit of instinct too - who are the potential victims and where they are going,” Jayanti said.

Domestic helpers going to the Middle East tend to wear an Islamic headscarf, be middle-aged and elusive when asked about their plans, she said.

Women travelling to Hong Kong or Taiwan meanwhile usually have short hair, wear sneakers and are younger.

Some 2.3 million Indonesians are working as maids in wealthier countries in Asia and the Middle East, risking abuse including the non-payment of wages and physical assault.

Jayanti is part of a small team of “maid detectives” from Jakarta-based rights group Migrant Care, tracking down potential victims of human trafficking, and offering advice to others leaving of their own free will on how to look after themselves.

They have had some small successes since they began work last year.

They rescued a woman who had been brought to the airport by a maid agent, only to discover she was about to be sent to Saudi Arabia against her will.

Women often approach a maid agent to help them secure a placement abroad and handle the paperwork. While most work within the law, some have been accused of trafficking women.

“Some women do not know where they are going and what type of job they are getting into, making them vulnerable to human trafficking,” said Migrant Care’s advocacy programme manager Mike Verawati.

Maids make up more than a third of the six million Indonesians working abroad, attracted by promises of higher salaries. Last year, migrant workers sent home some $9.4 billion in remittances, according to official data.

Complaints of mistreatment of Indonesians in the Middle East and the ensuing diplomatic rows prompted Jakarta announced in May 2015 to permanently ban maids from moving to the region. Maids already working there were allowed to remain.

In March, Indonesian police busted a human trafficking ring which allegedly sent up to 600 Indonesians to work as domestic helpers in the Middle East, local media reported.