A Filipina is hauling the Hong Kong police to court after they refused to classify her as a victim of human trafficking, after she alleged that she was sexually abused by her Hong Kong employer.
The woman “CB” worked as a domestic helper for Brian Apthorp — a British permanent resident in Hong Kong who is now in his 80s. The victim’s lawyers stated that Apthorp allegedly sexually assaulted “CB” in 2018 and 2019, before he was convicted on July 2 with sentencing set this coming July 15.
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Activists in Hong Kong called out the government urging for dedicated anti-trafficking laws. They stated that Hong Kong’s 370,000 domestic workers, mostly poor women from the Philippines and Indonesia, have been facing various forms of exploitation, including sexual abuse.
Authorities rejected those demands, but are now facing a legal challenge, after a rare successful conviction of an employer sexually abusing a domestic helper named “CB”. “CB” states that she has been disappointed by the response of police and prosecutors. so far.
A judicial review has been launched against the police commissioner police and the secretary for justice over their handling of the case, even as the USA placed Hong Kong on a human trafficking watchlist.
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The U.S. State Department 2021 report stated that Hong Kong was still not doing enough to identify trafficking victims and prosecute abusers, and would be kept on its “Tier Two Watchlist” alongside Belarus, Liberia, and Thailand. The aforementioned US-based agency annually assesses countries on whether they are adequately tackling human trafficking.
However, Hong Kong’s government criticized the U.S, assessment by describing it as “biased and unreasonable” while also declaring that human trafficking has “never been a prevalent problem” in the city. (AW)
