Report tells of maids' 'forced labor'

NEW YORK, Dec. 6 (UPI) -- A new report says maids in Singapore suffer "grave abuses," including physical and sexual violence, food deprivation and confinement in the workplace.

Human Rights Watch says the approximately 150,000 women -- mainly from Indonesia, the Philippines and Sri Lanka -- who work in Singapore as domestic workers are exempt from the labor laws that protect Singaporeans.

"Many domestic workers labor without pay for months to settle debts to employment agencies, work long hours seven days a week, or are confined to their workplace," said Kenneth Roth, the organization's executive director.

Its 124-page report is based on interviews with domestic workers, government officials and employment agents, the New York-based organization says in an article posted on its Web site.

Singapore's government has said the report "grossly exaggerates" the situation, the BBC reported Tuesday.

"On their own accord, (foreign domestic workers) choose to work in Singapore because of better conditions here compared to their home and other countries," the Ministry of Manpower said on its Web site.

"An independent poll ... in December 2003 revealed that over 80 percent of (foreign domestic workers) were happy to work in Singapore," the statement said.