The issue is not all about being raped. As a matter of fact, it is abuse that is the issue. Abuse can encompass several dimensions such as physical, sexual, verbal and emotional. Furthermore, sexual abuse does not mean rape only. A victim may be abused on a continual basis sexually yet it may not come under rape.
It literally cracks my heart when I see, at a food court, many a time a large family of about ten or twelve people sitting around one or two tables with their maid sitting far away alone at another table, usually holding a toddler in her lap. The family waits for the food to arrive, and when it does arrive, they start eating voraciously. No one, however, pays any heed to the poor maid, who looks all around at other tables and what the people are having in their food. Once their own stomach are full half way, one lady of the household puts some left overs before the maid, the maid, with one arm engaged by holding the baby, tries to eat. The family finishes and the poor girl does not even have a chance to eat the left overs properly. I would consider this even as abuse.
I have seen a few families (although they are extremely few) who take good care of their maids and provide them decent food and clothing. I believe all we need to do is just follow what our prophet told us regarding how to treat our servants.
The issue is not all about being raped. As a matter of fact, it is abuse that is the issue. Abuse can encompass several dimensions such as physical, sexual, verbal and emotional. Furthermore, sexual abuse does not mean rape only. A victim may be abused on a continual basis sexually yet it may not come under rape.
It literally cracks my heart when I see, at a food court, many a time a large family of about ten or twelve people sitting around one or two tables with their maid sitting far away alone at another table, usually holding a toddler in her lap. The family waits for the food to arrive, and when it does arrive, they start eating voraciously. No one, however, pays any heed to the poor maid, who looks all around at other tables and what the people are having in their food. Once their own stomach are full half way, one lady of the household puts some left overs before the maid, the maid, with one arm engaged by holding the baby, tries to eat. The family finishes and the poor girl does not even have a chance to eat the left overs properly. I would consider this even as abuse.
I have seen a few families (although they are extremely few) who take good care of their maids and provide them decent food and clothing. I believe all we need to do is just follow what our prophet told us regarding how to treat our servants.