Eleven domestic workers have been arrested in Hong Kong on suspicion of "child destruction" and performing illegal abortions, according to police reports. The women, aged between 30 and 40, were detained following the discovery of a dead fetus, confirmed to be at least 28 weeks gestation, at the home of one of the workers.
Initial investigations commenced in June after paramedics were summoned for a 39-year-old domestic worker who collapsed at her employer's residence. Upon their arrival, they uncovered the fetus concealed in a laundry basket in her room. During interviews, the worker disclosed that she had purchased abortion pills from a colleague, another foreign domestic worker, leading to her arrest in July.
Police then conducted a series of raids between July 29 and August 8, resulting in the detention of eight additional domestic workers. Inspector Lam Ho-yin from the Yuen Long district crime squad noted that there does not appear to be a criminal syndicate involved. Preliminary findings indicate that a 32-year-old domestic helper had allegedly smuggled the abortion pills from another country and sold them to her peers.
Specific details regarding the charges faced by each woman remain undisclosed, as authorities have not revealed their nationalities. While abortion is legal in Hong Kong under stringent regulations, it is permitted only under certain conditions, such as if the pregnancy threatens the mother's life or in cases of severe fetal abnormalities, with a cutoff at 24 weeks. Beyond this point, abortions can only be performed if the mother's health is at serious risk, with offenders facing up to seven years of imprisonment for distributing or using abortion-inducing drugs.
Amidst this ongoing investigation, police have urged employers to facilitate discussions between their domestic workers and medical professionals if there is a possibility of pregnancy. Currently, approximately 368,000 foreign domestic workers reside in Hong Kong, with the majority hailing from the Philippines and Indonesia, earning a set minimum wage as outlined by the government.
