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Daisy Jeremani Gender Editor
PROFESSIONAL women have been called upon to monitor and vet their house workers rigorously and companies have been called upon to provide daycare services near workplaces, among other interventions if cases of abuse of children by maids is to be curbed.

In separate interviews yesterday, working women said the chilling stories of maids stuffing babies in drawers and beating them up among other forms of abuse, have made them realise that the desire to provide the best materially for their children also put the children’s lives at risk.

Concern has been raised in recent weeks by the horrific case of a Silobela maid who assaulted a 10-month- old baby until he bled from the nose as punishment for trying to leave the house. She was jailed two years. In Bulawayo, a maid was jailed 22 years, for killing a baby after stuffing him in a drawer.

Dade Sikhosana, from Sotshangana Flats in Bulawayo, said it was sad now that women who try to empower themselves and their families are made to question their choice of “having it all.”

“In this harsh economic environment, everyone needs to be bringing in an extra dollar to the table. Unfortunately with these maids, women begin to feel that having both a family and career is too much a price to pay,” she said.

Sikhosana said it was heartbreaking that some children had lost their lives and others were left emotionally scarred for life by the individuals their families would have trusted and brought into their homes.

“This should be a responsibility not for mothers alone, but rather a shared community concern. We should raise morally upright children who fear to cause pain, maim or kill.

“As much as one would vet a maid, no one knows what’s inside a person, we can only hope for the best,” she said.

Zuzephi Dube, a professional woman from the city said since the world embraced the idea of women in workplaces, many women have managed to pursue their dream careers.

“We also yearn to leave our homes after we’re assured that we left them (children) in a safe and healthy environment. This is now a pipe dream if reports of child abuse by maids are anything to go by,” she said.

She said properly-run child care facilities are not affordable for most women as companies are struggling to pay even a salary that can cover the bare necessities, making daycare a luxury.

Some felt that in as much as properly vetting helpers was important, people should also treat and pay their helpers well.

“Doubling up as a child minder and a maid for a meagre salary is overwhelming. I don’t condone violence against children, but women also need to introspect on their treatment of maids which breeds ill feelings,” said of Gwabalanda resident, Rodwell Gundani.

Emilia Hatendi, the programmes officer at the Centre for the Development of Women and Children, said it was imperative for women to take into their homes people that they know.

She said people just find a maid today and tomorrow they leave them with their children. As such there is no due diligence and no room to scrutinise the maid.