PSU Magazine Spring 2006

pan of a maid's pay. "The governmem is well aware, and they're turning a blind eye." But as unfair as those work prac– tices are, some women are subjected Lo even worse: physical abuse, sexual abuse, and rape. Often, says Augustine, workers are abused by women employers, who accuse Lhe maids of flirting with their husbands. Employers have burned maids with clothes irons and scalded them with boiling water. While the numbers of reported cases of abuse and rape are small-in Southeast Asia only 25 to 30 cases a year may be reported-the more telling fact, Augustine believes, is that none of these are reported by the maids themselves. Instead, individuals who see signs of the abuse call Lhe authorities. Typi– cally a worker is turned over to her country's consulate, which sends her home. "Their goal is Lo send money home," says Augustine. If they're forced ouL of their job, there's no money Lo send home. "That's why they don't go Lo the authorities." Still, the MIM researchers found that when the Philippines governmem acknowledged the situation and seL up a safe house in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, some 30 women a week sought refuge. M ichele Gamburd, a PSU anthro– pology associate professor, has written about the issue as iL relates to women in Sri Lanka in her book, The Kitchen Spoon's Handle: Transnationalism and Sri Lanka's Migrant Housemaids. Out of a nation of 19 million, 650,000 Sri Lankan women travel abroad for work , primarily to the Middle Easl, she says. Gamburd is interested in how global economics have helped create this diaspora. The real issue, she says, is why these people "can't make ends meet al home." Gamburd poims particularly Lo policies of the ImernaLional Monetary Fund, which she says have been virtually requiring Third World countries with outstanding loans to cut back spending on social services-things like subsidies for rice and cooking kerosene. 2-f PSU MAGAZI E SPRING 2006 "Basically these are programs that are really devaslaling Lo poor people," she says. "The local economy is in the Lank ... going abroad is Lhe only recourse. " Gamburd believes that true relief must come through governmental action. "The large-scale structures LhaL oppress people need Lo be worked on," she says. Job placement agencies need to be more Lightly monitored so LhaL women can be assured of being placed where they are told they will be and paid what they're promised. A ugustine has some of the same concerns. "There is one thing LhaL particularly upsets me about this issue," he says. Women working in foreign countries as maids "are making huge sacrifices Lo provide for their families back home– many of them leave behind their hus– bands and children in the process. They are willing to accept the difficult working conditions, and for the most pan that is all right. Whal will never be all right is all the abuse that is hap– pening." Building on the research and field visits, Augustine formed Guardian of Humanity to work with governments to provide safe houses and develop protective foreign labor laws for domestic helpers. Guardian has a board of directors composed of MIM students from Southeast Asia, Thailand, Korea, Tai– wan, Yemen, and Turkey. Fellow MIM student John Lee is vice president of the board and is also Augustine's coworker and friend. When they started the MIM pro– gram, the two were on the same work team at Hewlett-Packard and sat in across-the-aisle cubicles. Since Augus– tine joined the company, he and Lee have traveled together to Singapore, Spain, Japan and other countries for the company and socialized together outside of work. As Augustine developed the idea for Guardian of Humanity, Lee jumped onboard. Why are he and Augustine so willing Lo commit time and personal resources to the plight of people halfway around the world? Lee says the motivation for Guardian of Humanity was a fusion of Augustine's growing awareness of the issue as he traveled more Lo Southeast Asia on business combined with the focus of the MlM program on imerna– tional topics and the opportunity Lo imerest MIM sLUdenls in the cause. "You gel Lo a certain stage. You have a family, house, kids, and successful job. You're faced with a choice of spending on material goods or asking, 'What else can I do 7"' says Lee. "Some people find religion. Some people vol– umeer. Some people say maybe there's something unique I can contribute-a skill or knowledge. That's Patrick's moLivation." 1:is year, Augustine is working with another group of MIM studems on an exit project seeking $2 million in grams and other funding so Guardian of Humanity can begin opening embassy-affiliated safe houses. These houses would primarily offer refuge for abused domestic helpers, but Augus– tine would also like Lo provide job training that could qualify women for better jobs, such as beauticians or den– tal assistants, back home. Once under way, Augustine believes the safe houses could be self-funding. Curremly, maids send their wages home via remittance centers, where they are often charged high processing fees. lf Guardian partnered with such a center, together they could offer lower fees and keep a portion as operating capital for the safe houses. It's an enormous goal-perhaps even quixotic. But Augustine sees no choice. "The physical and sexual abuse needs to be addressed immediately," says Augustine. "These women are entrusted with babies and grandpar– ems. How do you mistreat someone who has those kind of responsibilities7 l can't even begin to imagine. Fortu– nately, I don't need to understand why. l jusL have to prevent it." D (Melissa Steineger, a Portland J reelance writer, wrote the article "A New Way Home" in the winter 2005 PSU Magazine.)