We have also heard about the sponsor who pushed needles into a maid’s body before deporting her. We have also heard about a maid who murdered her sponsor and dismembered her body. Then there was the case of another maid who scalded a child with boiling water.
There are many other problems associated with maids, such as running away, working illegally for other families and nonpayment of salaries. Many lawsuits are also filed in embassies and consulates against Saudi sponsors, not to mention the sex crimes, something that is expected because we have over a million single foreign males and females working in Saudi homes.
There are few maids and drivers in the West. People help themselves. Those of us who have lived in the West realize the importance of members of families serving themselves. When we live in the West, we do not employ domestic aides. In other non-gulf Arab countries, maids only exist in extremely wealthy families, as most middle-income families are unable to afford them. There are also no drivers in these countries, including all Gulf countries except the Kingdom, because women can drive.
Other Gulf countries do not have the same problem as us when it comes to maids because they are smaller than us. Besides, the living condition of families in other Gulf countries is higher than that in the Kingdom. In those countries it never happens that maids are not paid their salaries. In either case, the number of drivers in their country is less because women are able to drive.
The existence of maids and drivers in our society is unnatural. The era of having servants is over, even using the word “servant” is frowned upon and people are encouraged to use the term “domestic worker.”
I would like to suggest the recruitment of women drivers from neighboring countries, especially tough women from east African countries no older than 40. With such women driving cars, our women would feel comfortable to sit in the front seat. They will not be embarrassed to wear perfume when going out on occasions.
If the female driver went to buy groceries, then there will be no issue in her entering her sponsor’s house, unlike the case of a male driver. Moreover, she will live along with the family inside the family house, unlike a male driver whose whereabouts at night are often unknown. This idea has been successful in neighboring countries, especially in the UAE. It could succeed in the Kingdom if it was planned properly and presented to the wider society in a positive way.
