The hidden scandal of modern slavery in London

"One of them is Disay*, who was born in the Philippines, and says she was exploited by a high-profile Qatari family. Now 35, she first arrived in London in 2017 on a domestic worker visa. She says she worked as a cleaner, cook, nanny, personal assistant and nurse in the family's 16-bedroom mansion up to 18 hours a day, seven days a week, while sleeping on a sofa in the sitting room."

"I thought life would be better in London. But I was treated worse here. The abuse became more extreme. They screamed at me if I did not follow their instructions. In restaurants, I was not allowed to have my own food. I was ordered to go to fancy restaurants, stand watch over the table, and then once my employer arrived, told to leave and stand outside and wait until they had finished eating."

"In many cases, the conditions amount to modern slavery the legal term for victims being threatened or deceived into situations of subjugation, degradation and control."

Migrant domestic workers in Chelsea and other affluent London neighborhoods endure severe exploitation behind the facades of luxury homes. These workers face excessive working hours, unpaid or delayed wages, physical and verbal abuse, and conditions meeting the legal definition of modern slavery. One Filipino worker, Disay, worked up to 18 hours daily for a high-profile Qatari family in a 16-bedroom mansion, earning approximately £200 monthly while sleeping on a sofa. She performed multiple roles including cleaner, cook, nanny, and nurse, was denied adequate meals, and experienced humiliation including being excluded from restaurants where she worked. Her wages were controlled through a bank card in her employer's name, limiting her financial autonomy and ability to escape her situation.

Read at www.standard.co.uk