Dimapur, April 09 2009: One of Nagaland's largest workforces, domestic workers; they sweep, wash cook and take care of their employer's every need.

Yet, they remain invisible in the eye of society.

Accounts of routine harassment and exploitation of domestic workers working for well-to-do families is a trend swiftly increasing.

While adult workers are able to assert their rights, children on the other hand are totally at the mercy of their employers.

The issue of domestic workers in Nagaland has not been taken into account on a broader perspective.

The factors responsible for the emergence of such a huge number of domestic workers in the state are not addressed properly and the issue of their rights has taken a backseat.

The Domestic Workers Movement (DWM) which works seeking justice and fights for the rights of domestic workers in India was launched in Nagaland last year in the month of June.

Their aim is to bring to the forefront the issues confronting the rights of these workers and educate them.

Several girls who worked in rich homes, are part of this movement and some of them have horrific life accounts of their stay in these homes.

On condition of anonymity, a staffer of DWM spoke about a local girl who was subject to sexual abuse for over a year by her employer (who is an officer) living in Dimapur.

The DWM staff said everyone in the house knew what was happening but remained silent.

Finally, the employer's mother helped the girl escape from the house.

In a different story related by another lady � her Naga neighbor's maid was ill-treated by the employer.

The girl, who managed to escape from the house this year, was always subject to the most brutal form of torture.

The employers, the lady said, would sear the girl's ear with hot copper coil if she committed a mistake, while pinching her skin was a regular thing.

The girl was not allowed to eat her meals on time and was never given enough to eat.

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