It was only after visiting a prison that I realized the magnitude of the problem we face because of all the foreign maids among us. There I found large numbers of maids who are serving prison terms for various crimes.
At the time, I was researching a project about this very problem. The problem was so overwhelming that I had to reconsider the way I was dealing with it and with the maids. I began by introducing different ways of surveillance and monitoring at home to avoid myself becoming a victim. Many parents are unaware of what is happening around them and only wake up to the danger when tragedy strikes. Other families have broken up after experiencing the kind of social and moral disasters that we Muslims view as being more devastating than death itself.
Despite all the precautions, I find it extremely frightening going through cases involving maids. I have come to the conclusion that this is perhaps the single worst social problem afflicting our society. And that Saudi families will continue to suffer as long as we employ foreign maids and drivers who live with us, especially maids who are in such close and constant contact with the family.
A recent study of the problem covered the 10-year period from 1992 to 2002 and called for a national awareness program to highlight the dangers that the presence of maids could have for Saudi families. The dangers can be even greater for children whose parents are away from home for long hours, whether for work or any other reason. Because the mother has a great responsibility in the home in terms of influencing the children, her failure to fulfill her role can be devastating.
The pressures of modern life have led many families to employ maids to help with caring for children and doing housework. The study I mentioned called for a balance between the responsibilities of parents and maids and pointed out that employers should allow working women to attend to their children as well as their jobs. Children should of course be taught how to discipline themselves and how to become self-reliant instead of waiting for others to do things for them. No woman would tolerate the presence of another woman in her house. The presence of maids should thus be the exception rather than the rule.
