The Voice of Domestic Workers

 In April 2012 when the British government introduced tied visas for domestic workers - removing their right to change employer, bring family members with them or stay longer than half a year, according to several charities. Britain last year made reforms, allowing domestic workers to change employers within six months of arriving in the country, vowing to better inform workers of their rights, and granting visas of up to two years for those found to be enslaved. The government's reform of tied visas has not lessened the abuse and violence inflicted upon foreign domestic workers, according to Avril Sharp of the charity Kalayaan.

Campaigners say very few workers are aware of their new rights, that six months is too short to move jobs, and much of the abuse they suffer - from starvation to rape - is not considered slavery to the government. Many of these workers choose to endure any abuse, rather than flee and lose a visa, paycheck and place to live. Those who escape tend to find themselves in even greater peril - often alone, undocumented, and scared to seek help.

"They go into other abusive situations, without passport or visa, or any knowledge, and are too afraid to speak out or come forward for fear of being deported," said Marissa Begonia, founder of campaign group The Voice of Domestic Workers.

"There has been little to no impact since the changes ... we are still seeing the same or even higher levels of abuse towards domestic workers," said Avril Sharp, a policy officer at Kalayaan.

"In most cases, workers have been heavily conditioned ... brainwashed into believing they are people who have no rights," said Emily-Anna Gibbs, a lawyer for the Anti Trafficking and Labour Exploitation Unit (ATLEU), a London-based charity. "Domestic workers are threatened and led to believe that their employers are highly powerful people," Gibbs added. "Changing such beliefs is going to be difficult and take time."

The Voice of Domestic Workers provides its 1,500-odd members with counselling, legal advice, English lessons and computer courses, and even rescues abused domestic workers who reach out for help. The support group teaches skills such as soap making, flower arranging and baking to help them find work or set up businesses if they choose to go home to countries from India to Indonesia. But for most domestic workers, going home is not an option.

"We are a family, we are sisters and we encourage domestic workers to speak out about their suffering to raise awareness," said Begonia, who arrived in Britain in 2004 to work as a maid.