How Kenyan women are trapped in Saudi Arabia's kafala nightmare

An abused woman trying to defend herself. [Courtesy/iStock]

Kenyan women working as domestic workers in Saudi Arabia have shared harrowing accounts of abuse, including sexual assault, at the hands of their employers, according to a report by Amnesty International.

The report, titled Locked In, Left Out: The Hidden Lives of Kenyan Domestic Workers in Saudi Arabia, documents the experiences of at least 72 women who suffered severe exploitation under the country’s notorious kafala (sponsorship) system.