Five Zimbabwean women have fled their work place and sought refuge at an apartment following what they have described as serious abuses and being employed as slaves in the Middle Eastern nation of Oman.
Some of the women told VOA Studio 7 that they were sexually abused by their employer, who is now threatening them with death if they tell the world about what they are facing in that country.
The women, who spoke on condition of annonimity in fear of being victimized, said they were locked in an office where their employer was not giving them food.
The employer, according to the three Zimbabweans, allegedly infected them with a sexually transmitted disease.
“He kept us in his office where he took sexually abused us. We were treated as slaves. We decided to break out of the work place and seek a place to hide. Right now we are hiding at this place and were a scared that they will find out and punish us severely. As I speak right now I have severe body aches. My vaginal and anal area is very painful. I have been abused so much that I don’t know what to do now. We need urgent help,” said one of them, who sent an audio message to VOA Studio 7.
The other victims said they faced the same issues and need urgent help. The other abused woman, who was recruited by an agent to work in Oman, noted that “we have been reduced to slaves. We are hiding but don’t know that can happen in the next few hours.”
Information Minister Monica Mutsvangwa said the government is looking into the issue as “our people cannot continue being ill-treated by ruthless people but in terms of telling you exactly what is being done, contact the secretary of foreign affairs.”
The Foreign Affair Secretary was unreachable for comment.