Author Description

This dissertation, "Victimization of Foreign Domestic Helpers in Hong Kong" by Elana, Chan, Tak-ming, Chan, Yung, Li, Ming-ki, Henry, Wan, Hoi-kam, Wong,,,,,, was obtained from The University of Hong Kong (Pokfulam, Hong Kong) and is being sold pursuant to Creative Commons: Attribution 3.0 Hong Kong License. The content of this dissertation has not been altered in any way. We have altered the formatting in order to facilitate the ease of printing and reading of the dissertation. All rights not granted by the above license are retained by the author. Abstract: This research seeks to examine the forms and experiences of victimization of foreign domestic helpers in the domestic space in Hong Kong and its effects, as well as how the foreign domestic helpers cope with it and why. Kelly (1988) coined the concept of "continuum of violence" in studying the hardship faced by domestic violence victims. Victimized foreign domestic helpers have certain similarities with domestic violence victims, sharing the same gender and a role as housekeepers in a confined domestic space. The data of this research come from the semi-structured interviews with 12 (ex-) foreign domestic helpers; and with two non-government organization staff who have been providing assistance to foreign domestic helpers in Hong Kong. Our findings uncovered victimization faced by foreign domestic helpers, which generally comprised daily events that echoed the continuum concept of Kelly (1988), acute events at the time of termination of employment, and secondary victimization from police and/or pending criminal justice proceedings after the termination. Primary victimization exerted physical effects on the foreign domestic helpers while both primary and secondary victimization contributed to their psychological harm. Other than direct victimization, indirect victimization was also observed, in that the effects of victimization extended to the families of the foreign domestic helpers. Their coping s