Grace* moved to Lebanon five years ago seeking better opportunities. She was 38 years old at the time, her home country of Togo was unstable, and recruiters promised her good work as a live-in maid in Beirut.
Grace says she initially felt a small measure of optimism. Her salary, while low, would allow her to wire much-needed money to her family back home. But her sense of optimism soon turned into utter terror. The “Mister” – as she was made to refer to the man of the house where she worked – beat her repeatedly and did not stop there.