Amnesty highlights domestic violence

11:27am Saturday 11th August 2007

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WITH the 200th anniversary of slavery looming large one local campaign group is trying to highlight the plight of women still suffering today.

The Ealing branch of Amnesty International is trying to raise awareness of the suffering of countless women in Indonesia who are exploited by their employers .

The campaign is being lead by Mark Robbins, who spent time working in there learning the language and saw the problems first hand.

He said: "These women are exploited by their employers with poor conditions, little or no pay and some are even raped and tortured.

"We are aiming to get more enforcement of the few protective laws that do exist there, as well as pushing for the introduction of additional and more effective legislation.

"For those who think Indonesia is a world away a recent study showed that a third of men in the UK think domestic violence is acceptable.

"Staggeringly and more than half polled said it was a domestic issue and shouldn't involve the law."

The Ealing Amnesty branch meets on the second Monday of each month at Ealing Town Hall.

For more information visit www.ealingamnesty.org.uk or contact branch secretary Rob Dickinson on RobDcknsn@aol.com.