“Neither does she recognize herself as a slave, nor do they as slavers,” said the labor inspector who rescued DOna Maria in Rio de Janeiroa woman who, at 85, had been a domestic worker for 72.
All his life he lived in the house of his employers, a house that was inherited from father to son for three generations. When she found out that she would no longer be living with the family that exploited her for years, she begged them to let her go back.
“I have to go back because I have to feed Mrs. Yonne, I have to take care of her, I have to bathe her… If I don’t come back, she’s going to die,” he said. She felt totally responsible for the life of her employer, says Alexandre Lyra, the labor inspector who rescued María, who had lived 72 years serving her family without pay or vacations.
Ms. Maria he never had children, friends or romantic relationships. Her main function in her life was to take care of the family that enslaved her for a lifetime. When the complaint was received before the labor rights inspectorate, the Mattos Maia family resorted to a well-known argument: “It’s like family,” and with that explanation they wanted to disguise years of labor exploitation.
María slept on a sofa in the hallway next to her employer’s door, in order to be available when she needed her. This case highlights the legacy of the slavery in brazil from today.
“The power relationship to which they are subjected is very strong. It is a bondage due to a debt of gratitude, an emotional and affective debt. They feel compelled to stay because they think they might be worse off, that at least they have a house and food there.” In the last year alone, this professional has attended to a dozen women who had been exploited for 70, 50 or 30 years in the home environment, which is conducive for the crime not to spread. “They are all black, although one is not considered black,” says the labor inspector who rescued her.
Over the years they are completely annulled, the social worker points out in a telephone interview. “Her whole life revolves around the interests of the family.” They change churches, they go to their bosses’. And when they sit in front of the television, it’s to watch their favorite shows. The therapy includes gestures as simple as going out for ice cream. For choosing the flavor”, she told The country.
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