On August 5th, I was tagged to a post by woman who was lamenting about her maid. The maid had repeatedly abused her 2 year old son, abuse that she successfully caught on camera. She even forced the little boy to eat his poop.
As much as I sympathised with her for the ordeal the little boy went through, I couldn't side with her on this issue, and for a simple reason.
Her maid is fourteen.
A fourteen year old girl has no business being a maid. No matter how well you treat her and feed her, you are still exploiting her.
I have always been of the opinion that children should not be taking care of children. They are not emotionally equipped. In Nigeria we have this horrible culture of forcing children to take care of other children. Older female siblings are turned into their younger siblings mother, while the real mother is busy churning out more kids.
The woman also mentioned that the girl is sexually active and is having sex with her driver and gateman. I don't know how many times we need to say this, but we won't stop.
A fourteen year old girl cannot consent to sex. The girl is not having sex with those men. Those men are raping her. Whether or not she initiated the sex, which I doubt, is irrelevant.
I know this woman came to seek sympathy for herself and her son, and condemnation for the little girl, but she won't get them from me, at least not entirely.
I admit that the little girl has behavioural problems, but the reasons for those problems are not rocket science. What fourteen year old girl wants to work as a maid?
I saw the picture that the woman posted of herself, her husband, her son and of the little girl. Even without anybody telling me, I'd have known from that picture that the girl is a maid. She looks like one.
Also, in the post, she reported that the girl stole her baby's food. What child did not secretly eat baby food? I used to do it back in Nigeria when I lived with my aunt. I'd scoop some in my mouth with a spoon and dust off the evidence with my hand.
Fourteen is already a sensitive age for a child. Those are their most vulnerable years. The experiences they acquire during their adolescence will shape them for life. Let's stop the exploitation of little children. They are not our mules to be used as we please.
Say no to USING underage children as domestic staff.
As much as I sympathised with her for the ordeal the little boy went through, I couldn't side with her on this issue, and for a simple reason.
Her maid is fourteen.
A fourteen year old girl has no business being a maid. No matter how well you treat her and feed her, you are still exploiting her.
I have always been of the opinion that children should not be taking care of children. They are not emotionally equipped. In Nigeria we have this horrible culture of forcing children to take care of other children. Older female siblings are turned into their younger siblings mother, while the real mother is busy churning out more kids.
The woman also mentioned that the girl is sexually active and is having sex with her driver and gateman. I don't know how many times we need to say this, but we won't stop.
A fourteen year old girl cannot consent to sex. The girl is not having sex with those men. Those men are raping her. Whether or not she initiated the sex, which I doubt, is irrelevant.
I know this woman came to seek sympathy for herself and her son, and condemnation for the little girl, but she won't get them from me, at least not entirely.
I admit that the little girl has behavioural problems, but the reasons for those problems are not rocket science. What fourteen year old girl wants to work as a maid?
I saw the picture that the woman posted of herself, her husband, her son and of the little girl. Even without anybody telling me, I'd have known from that picture that the girl is a maid. She looks like one.
Also, in the post, she reported that the girl stole her baby's food. What child did not secretly eat baby food? I used to do it back in Nigeria when I lived with my aunt. I'd scoop some in my mouth with a spoon and dust off the evidence with my hand.
Fourteen is already a sensitive age for a child. Those are their most vulnerable years. The experiences they acquire during their adolescence will shape them for life. Let's stop the exploitation of little children. They are not our mules to be used as we please.
Say no to USING underage children as domestic staff.
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