Page 122 - Words

Society Xie Qihao, Jim 6E (2016-2017)

Dear Editor,

The recent opinion demanding the raising of awareness concerning
domestic helper abuse in Hong Kong has caught my attention. Not only is
the superiority of Hong Kong inhabitants a factor, but racism as well. The fact
that this issue is popping up more often than ever is also worth mentioning.

It has occurred to me that the sense of superiority is one of the pivotal
reasons when it comes to domestic helper abuse. The majority of Hong Kong
citizens believe that they are superior when compared with others despite the
frequent mentioning of social equality. Constantly judging the behaviour
of foreigners, unable to spare a thought for others, the list is by no means
exhaustive. Abuse is the result of such supremacy when it comes to domestic
helpers. Yes, most of the domestic helpers are not living in the echelons
of society, but should people from a lower social rank be treated with no
respect? In these abuse cases, domestic helpers are treated with punches and
kicks. Starvation and confinement take place in some extreme cases as well.
If there is any merit in such wrongdoings, excuse me for not seeing that.

An unhappy domestic helper may be linked with racism as well.
There is no denying that most of the domestic helpers in Hong Kong are
from the Philippines. It is understandable that conflicts many occur as
a result of differences in culture and race. However, measures should be
taken to reach an understanding to solve the conflict, instead of resolving
the problem through violence. I believe violence in these domestic helper
abuse cases has a lot of resemblances to the racism in America in the 20th
century. Victims in these cases are often too afraid of unveiling the evil

122 With Pride, We Stride