Singaporean woman admits to abusing maid, fracturing nose
Two months after Rasi was first engaged as her domestic helper, Jenny Chan Yun Hui began physically assaulting her.
On one occasion, the 41-year-old Singaporean punched the Indonesian’s eye till she could not see, pinched her ears and hit her head till it bled.
On another occasion, upset that Rasi had overslept, Chan punched her nose till the nasal bone fractured.
On Wednesday (27 February), Chan admitted to two counts of voluntarily causing hurt and one count of voluntarily causing grievous hurt to 27-year-old Rasi.
No mobile phone, no speaking to neighbours
Rasi was employed by Chan’s husband and began working for the family in February 2016. Chan told the maid to begin her chores at 6am, which included cooking, washing and ironing clothes.
The maid was given a strict schedule to follow and Chan would monitor her movements through multiple CCTV cameras in the flat.
Lacking rest, Rasi often fell asleep during her chores, angering Chan. Rasi did not own a mobile phone and was forbidden from using a telephone. She was also forbidden from speaking to her neighbours.
Sometime between April and 20 June 2016, Chan became upset that Rasi had not finished her morning chores. Despite the maid’s apology, Chan punched her in the eye.
As Rasi cleaned the kitchen floor, Chan hit her back with her hand. She then smacked the back of Rasi’s head with a plastic bowl, drawing blood.
Chan rinsed off the blood with a shower head before applying medicated oil on Rasi’s head. She did not bring the helper to seek medical treatment.
Multiple incidents of abuse
During the same period, Rasi decided to flee as she could no longer tolerate the assaults. She decided to clean the toilet before leaving.
Before she could finish, Chan returned home and asked why the maid had not cleaned the bedroom first. Rasi replied that she intended to leave the flat for good.
Chan became infuriated with Rasi and hit her before ordering her to clean the floor. She then gave Rasi some medication and told the maid not to tell her husband that she had returned home early.
Chan also told Rasi that if she fled, she would call the police and jail the maid for 20 years, causing Rasi to fear that she would not be able to see her son again.
Later that same day, when Rasi fell asleep while cleaning the room, Chan pinched her ears with her fingernails, causing Rasi’s ears to bleed.
Chan also punched Rasi’s eyes until the left eye was so swollen that Rasi became blind in that eye for some 30 minutes. Chan later treated Rasi with cotton wool and medicated oil. She did not bring Rasi to a doctor.
In another instance, Chan was angry with Rasi as the latter had woken up late. She punched Rasi’s nose several times even when Rasi said she was unable to breathe through her nose. Rasi sustained a right nasal bone fracture from the incident.
On 19 June 2016, Rasi managed to speak to a neighbouring helper while on the balcony of her employer’s flat. The other maid advised Rasi to take a taxi to the Indonesian Embassy for help. Rasi did so on 20 June. She was then hospitalised for the next two days.
According to her medical report, Rasi suffered bruises on her head and around her eyes, a hair loss patch, abrasions on her ears, arms and chest, a swollen face, and nasal bone fracture and pinch marks on her arms, amongst other injuries.
Chan’s case has been adjourned for a hearing to determine whether her mental condition had any bearing on her actions. Four more charges, involving other acts of violence committed on the helper, will then be taken into consideration when Chan is sentenced.
Chan’s mental health issues were not revealed in court.
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