23 percent of Pravasi women abused at workplace

KOZHIKODE: A survey conducted by the State Women’s Commission among 1,917 pravasi women has found that around 23 per cent of the women working overseas are abused at their workplaces. Of this, 34 per cent admitted physical abuse.According to the survey, 89 per cent of the pravasi women  expressed dissatisfaction with the atmosphere at their workplace. However, fear of attack or threat by the employers dissuaded them from lodging complaints.The survey report submitted to the government also revealed that more than 40 per cent of the women had to face indecent behaviour either from their employers or from their colleagues. It also says that not less than 65 per cent of the women were denied treatment facilities.“The survey was conducted among the pravasi women following demand for a survey at the state convention of Pravasi women,” said T Devi, Member of the Women’s Commission.More than 82 per cent of the women participated in the survey were forced to work for more than eight hours a day, stated T Devi.About 219 women of a total of 1917 women who answered the queries were cheated in the name of job visas by the agencies.It also reveals that 55 per cent of the women could not even pay back their debts despite working overseas for many years. 95.77 per cent of participants in the survey were employed as housemaids where the chances of exploitation is comparatively higher.