Child domestic worker allegedly raped and killed

The alleged rape and murder of yet another teenaged domestic worker, Mussammat Jonia, in Mirpur is testament to the vulnerability of girl children working in households. The 15-year-old had been filling in for her mother at the home of an official. The circumstances surrounding her death, apparently after falling from the terrace of the building, are mysterious. 

The family of the dead child have alleged that when they tried to lodge a general diary stating that it was a murder after rape, the officials concerned recorded it as 'an unnatural death'.  The post mortem report is yet to be released.

The frequent incidence of torture, sexual abuse and murder of minor domestic workers calls for a concerted movement to ensure the safety of these children. The government must take steps to protect the rights of domestic workers with particular attention to those who are minors. It is a shame that as a society, we have failed to recognise the valuable contributions of domestic workers, who provide comfort and care to the more privileged. Instead, many respected citizens of the country treat their household help like slaves, with contempt and even brutality. It is about time that we as a society, raise awareness about the violations of human rights that occur within households. The government, legal experts, activists and all sections of the society must work together to stop these crimes.

We hope the police department will make all efforts to carry out a vigorous and swift investigation to establish the truth behind Jonia's death. Too many times we have seen perpetrators of such crimes go scot free because of influence and money. We fervently hope this will not be the case here.