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Erwiana Sulistyaningsih
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Erwiana Sulistyaningsih (white headscarf, centre), on a return visit to the city. Photo: Felix Wong

‘I still have the scars’: Indonesian maid Erwiana attends Hong Kong documentary screening, describes new life as university student

She tells the Post she now champions the rights of foreign domestic workers without fear

Two years after she was kicked out of the Tsueng Kwan O home that haunted her for eight dark months, Erwiana Sulistyaningsih is prevailing over the terror her ex-employer put her through.

While the former Indonesian domestic worker has already forgiven her former employer Law Wan-tung, the harm Law inflicted on her is still all too visible.

“I still have problems breathing. I cannot go swimming because I cannot get water into my ears. And I still have the scars. I need to see the doctor from time to time,” Erwiana, 23, told the Post yesterday. “I hope she realises what she has done to me. I have forgiven her already but she deserved to be punished.”

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In January 2014, Erwiana was spotted by another Indonesian domestic worker at Hong Kong International Airport with bruises all over her body. After abusing her for the eight long months she worked in Hong Kong, Law put her on a flight back to Indonesia.

At the time, Erwiana had become a shadow of her former self – losing half of her weight and tipping the scales at just 25kg.

During Law’s trial at District Court, Erwiana told the court her former employer had shoved a metal tube from a vacuum cleaner into her mouth; stripped her naked in the bathroom before spraying her with cold water and making her stand in front of a fan for up to two hours.

Law was eventually jailed for six years.

Erwiana came back to Hong Kong for a screening on Sunday of a documentary by independent producer Gabriel Ordaz. The film follows the plight of domestic workers in the city, including Erwiana.

Erwiana Sulistyaningsih, here at Victoria Park, returned to town to see a documentary that included her. Photo: Felix Wong

As she walked past crowds of fellow Indonesian nationals sharing food and laughter in Victoria Park on Saturday, she received a rock-star welcome. Many wanted a selfie with the woman who overcame unimaginable abuse.

Erwiana came to the city in May 2013 and worked as a domestic worker because she wanted to make enough money to attend university. With her family making only about HK$1,800 a year from farming, university seemed a too-distant dream.

With the Hong Kong ordeal behind her, Erwiana was awarded a scholarship to study economics at Sanata Dharma University in Yogyakarta in Central Java, located five hours from her home in the remote village of Ngawi.

Her first day at school was unforgettable – she was excited, but did not feel proud of what she deemed the basis for her admission.

“I did not make it because of my intelligence, but because of (the abuse),” she said.

Hong Kong woman jailed for abusing Indonesian maid Erwiana admits life behind bars is ‘hell’ and still insists she was framed

Still, Erwiana said she was enjoying every minute of her time at university. She has given talks in Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia and Turkey about what she endured. She also joined an organisation that champions foreign domestic workers’ rights.

But her family is worried she might get into trouble if she is too critical of government policies. Some activists in Indonesia had been killed for being too outspoken, Erwiana said.

“I am not worried. If I die, it is okay. History will reveal what happened,” she said, betraying no sense of fear.

Looking back at the time she was abused in Hong Kong, Erwiana said it could have been avoided had the government not required domestic workers to live with their employer.

As for life after graduation two years from now, she has made no decisions about what to do. But, glancing at the sky as if she could see her future through the clouds, she is certain of one thing – she is not coming back to Hong Kong to work as a domestic worker.

Asked about the possibility, she said with a smile: “No, I don’t think so.”

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