A 37-year-old Indian woman living in Singapore has been sentenced to 16 weeks in jail for physically assaulting her domestic helper, who was also from India. According to reports, Monica Sharma repeatedly punched the 25-year-old victim and even threw vomit at her face because she was unhappy with her work.
The victim had been employed by Sharma’s husband and began working in their condominium apartment near River Valley Road on January 20, 2021. However, she soon became a victim of Sharma’s violent outbursts, which were triggered by the slightest mistakes in her work.
During one of the assaults, Sharma punched the victim multiple times on her head and face, causing bruises and swelling. In another incident, Sharma threw a bowl of vomit at the victim’s face, leaving her traumatized and humiliated.
The victim eventually managed to escape from Sharma’s clutches and sought help from the police. Sharma was subsequently arrested and charged with voluntarily causing hurt and using criminal force on a domestic servant. She pleaded guilty to both charges in court.
In sentencing Sharma to 16 weeks’ jail, District Judge Jasvender Kaur noted that the assault had been “repeated, unprovoked and relentless.” She also expressed concern that such cases of domestic abuse were becoming all too common in Singapore.
“This is a case where the victim was clearly vulnerable and had no one to turn to for help,” Judge Kaur said. “Such conduct must be deterred, and the sentence must reflect society’s abhorrence towards such behavior.”
Domestic workers are a common sight in Singapore, with many households relying on them to help with household chores and childcare. However, cases of abuse and mistreatment of domestic helpers are not uncommon in the country, with many victims too afraid to speak out for fear of losing their jobs or facing retaliation from their employers.
In recent years, the Singapore government has taken steps to improve the protection of domestic workers and to crack down on cases of abuse. In 2019, a new law was passed to give domestic workers the same legal protection as other workers in the country, including the right to a weekly rest day and the right to seek redress for unfair treatment.
However, much more needs to be done to ensure that domestic workers in Singapore are treated with the respect and dignity they deserve. The case of Monica Sharma serves as a reminder that there is still a long way to go in the fight against domestic abuse and mistreatment.
