The Brazilian family did not pay her any wages during this time
Dona Maria was enslaved for 70 years by 3 generations
All of Dona Maria's world revolved within the walls of the house she used to live in.
archival
Dona Maria after being transferred to the new shelter after being taken from the family who had been enslaving her.
archival
picture
Donna Maria, 85, has lived her whole life as a maid in a family home in Rio de Janeiro.
It has been passed down through this family for three generations, from father to son.
This woman's world was turned upside down on Monday, May 1, when a domestic labor inspector, Alexandra Lira, told her she would not return to the family she had lived with since she was 13.
She felt as if her world had collapsed.
She did not understand why and begged the inspector to let her go back to where she used to live.
Labor inspector Lira, who rescued this woman after 72 years of working for the Matos Maya family, without any pay or holiday, said: “The submission was clear in her words: 'I have to come back to feed, take care of, and wash Mrs. Yoni.'
And if I didn't come back she might die, she felt responsible for her mistress.” Donna's world only revolved within the walls of that house.
No such case of slavery has been discovered in Brazil.
ignorance of rights
All these years, Maria Donna, a fictitious name given to her by the authorities to protect her identity, had no husband, children or friends, nor did she know anything about workers' rights.
Mrs. Yoni lived in the main room of the house she shared with her son Andre.
After an anonymous complaint, labor inspector Lira made a home visit.
To justify the existence of, Maria Donna, the Matos Maya family resorted to the most common justification in such a case, which is to say: “She is like a member of the family,” and this justification usually helps to conceal the crime of labor exploitation.
Victims are servants of wealthy families who often exploit them in inhumane conditions, as is the case with Dona Maria, who slept on a sofa in the entrance to the lady's room, where she was always ready whenever she needed her.
Labor inspector Lyra believes that Maria Donna owes this family a salary equivalent to 1.5 million reais, the equivalent of 300,000 dollars.
Domestic workers constitute a large number in Brazil, and are a mainstay for wealthy families, the majority of whom are black, and from poor families.
Dona Maria, who is black, embodies the legacy of slavery in Brazil today.
But this situation is not unique. Last year, Inspector Lira rescued seven other people enslaved as domestic workers in Rio de Janeiro.
Social worker Thanai Muta, 33, has always treated victims of domestic workers who were enslaved by wealthy families, and is part of the “integrated work” project set up by the Public Labor Ministry in Rio de Janeiro and Caritas when everyone realized that saving these workers from enslavement Home is not enough.
The program initially focuses on mitigating the harm caused by the enslaved being separated from the families in which they lived, and then providing assistance to victims so that they can live independently.
“The connection between the enslaved and the families they lived in is very strong,” Motta says.
And they feel compelled to stay with these families, because they think that when they leave these families, things will get very bad.”
The case of Maria Donna was revealed publicly on Friday, May 13, as Brazil was celebrating on this day the 134th anniversary of the abolition of slavery in Brazil.
Princess Isabel signed the so-called Golden Act in 1888 at the Palace of Rio de Janeiro.
Slavery became illegal in Brazil, but it has not completely ended.
After decriminalizing slavery, Brazil offered no land, work, or education for men freed from slavery, who had been stripped of their jobs by white European immigrants.
In view of their complete helplessness, many of them preferred to return to their masters, and beg them for shelter and food.
Victims are servants of wealthy families who often exploit them in inhumane conditions, as in the case of Dona Maria, who slept on a sofa in the entrance to the lady's room, where she was always ready whenever she needed her
For years, Dona Maria, a fictitious name the authorities gave her to protect her identity, had no husband, children or friends, nor did she know anything about workers' rights.
Follow our latest local and sports news and the latest political and economic developments via Google news