SINGAPORE - When a pro bono volunteer lawyer saw photos of the abuse a domestic worker had endured at the hands of her employer, she knew she had to help her.
Indonesian Yuni Dwi Lestari was forced by her employer in 2019 to hit her own teeth with a meat pounder about 50 times, leading to bruised and swollen lips and a chipped tooth.
In April 2020, Ms Viviene Sandhu, a co-managing partner at Clifford Law who also volunteers at Pro Bono SG, received an e-mail from the Centre for Domestic Employees (CDE) about Ms Yuni’s case.
Pro Bono SG is a charity in Singapore that helps the underprivileged with legal awareness, guidance and representation.
In an interview with The Sunday Times on Jan 29, Ms Sandhu said: “I was shocked when I saw the photos. Her front tooth was chipped and several of her teeth were loose. I saw her medical report, and it was clear she had sustained many mouth injuries from the abuse.”
At the time, Ms Yuni’s employer had been handed several charges of maid abuse. She later pleaded guilty to three counts of maid abuse. Four similar charges were considered during sentencing.
Prosecutors had said the employer was unhappy when she saw fingerprints on her kitchen windows and ordered Ms Yuni to hit her own teeth with a meat pounder.
Ms Yuni did as she was told and felt three teeth in her lower jaw come loose. But the employer wanted Ms Yuni to lose her teeth, so she took the pounder and struck her teeth, chipping one of them.
Ms Yuni called CDE to report the abuse. Her employer was sentenced in March 2021 to 15 months’ jail.
Ms Sandhu then took civil legal action against the employer to seek damages on Ms Yuni’s behalf for personal injuries including bruises on the right jaw and a swollen face, and loss of six months’ salary.
Said Ms Sandhu: “I knew that, ultimately, no amount of money could ever compensate her for what she went through – both physically and psychologically. But I still felt compelled to help her get a fair compensation because she came to Singapore to make a living and not to be abused.”
After several rounds of negotiations with the employer’s lawyers, Ms Sandhu and her colleague Charlotte Lim got $10,000 in compensation for Ms Yuni, who was working for another employer at the time.
Ms Sandhu said: “I told her the good news over a video call. She was very thankful, emotional, and got teary-eyed.”
Ms Yuni has since returned to her family in Indonesia.
She told ST in a separate interview in 2022 that she was grateful to her lawyers for helping her, and hoped other domestic helpers would not be afraid to speak up if they faced similar issues.
Ms Sandhu said: “I’m grateful to have been able to help victims like her, especially when they feel like they could easily slip through the cracks. When I see such an injustice happen, it is not difficult to step up and assist in whatever way I can.”
