Bali – A domestic worker in Gianyar, Bali, reported her employer to the police on Wednesday for allegedly dousing her with hot water last week.

According to the police report, Desak Made Wiratningsih threatened to douse Febriyanti with hot water if she failed to find her missing scissors. She reportedly made the threat in the presence of her son, Kadek Erik Diantara, and another maid, Santi Yuni Astuti.

"Febriyanti tried locating the scissors, but to no avail. Her employer then told Santi Tunu Astuti to boil two pots of water," Bali Police spokesperson Sr. Comr. Hengky Widjaja said on Thursday as quoted by kompas.com.

Hengky said that upon learning that Febriyanti had not found the scissors, Wiratningsih allegedly scooped hot water up in a glass mug and poured it over her slowly, letting the water trickle down from Febriyanti's head to her toes.

She allegedly told her son and Santi to take turns to pour the rest of the hot water over Febriyanti, he added.

"The victim called out 'It's hot, it's hot', but they didn't care," Hengky said.

Wiratningsih reportedly insisted the day after the alleged incident that Febriyanti find the missing scissors.

Febriyanti fled from Wiratningsih's house by climbing over a fence while her employer was asleep on Wednesday last week.

She reported the case to the police on Wednesday. The police said they were questioning Wiratningsih following the report.

The lack of protection for domestic workers leaves them vulnerable to abuse.

Manpower Minister M. Hanif Dhakiri issued Manpower Ministerial Regulation No.2/2015 on the protection of domestic workers in 2015, while the House of Representatives has not passed a bill on the protection of domestic workers, which was drafted a decade ago. (ars/iwa)

Source: https://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2019/05/16/woman-accused-of-dousing-maid-with-hot-water.html