1970-01-01 02:00:00
A caretaker who worked at the home of judge Jorge Luiz Borba, suspected of keeping a deaf and mute woman in conditions analogous to slavery, stated that the woman was like a “little slave” in the house. He denies the accusations. The information is from Fantástico (TV Globo).
What happened:
In a statement, the former employee, hired between 2020 and 2021, also stated that the family dogs were better cared for than Sônia, who had meals with the employees and “always” after the bosses.
The same former employee told the authorities that Sônia slept in a room at the back of the house and led the life of a maid without receiving a salary. She said that she bathed the woman who had a rash under her breasts because she didn’t have a bra.
A former cleaning lady, who worked at the house between 2015 and 2015, defined Sônia as “maid” (slave women who did domestic services).
A former diarist heard also confirmed the allegations about the case. She said that she saw Sonia as a worker, who was not part of the family since the judge’s daughters have everything and Sonia does not.
The investigation began after an anonymous tip, in November 2022, which reported the existence of a worker without labor rights, according to tax auditor Humberto Camasmie. The MPT took steps, spoke to workers who worked at the residence for different periods and confirmed the complaint.
Three employees who currently work for the judge were heard and told Labor auditors that Sônia was not required to do housework, he always had lunch with his bosses and had his own room inside the main house — the latter is a different version than the one pointed out by the auditors.
There was an employment relationship without any guaranteed rights over the mantle of a person who was almost family.”
Humberto Camasmie, auditor-fiscal
Sonia will now live temporarily in a shelter for women victims of violence and will teach Libras (Brazilian Sign Language).
According to the representation of the MPF (Federal Public Ministry), the woman has lived in Borba’s house for at least 20 years without receiving salary and health care.
What does the judge say?
In court, the man stated that he loves Sonia “as if she were his daughter” and who had already thought about adopting it, but saw documental difficulties. There are records of Sonia on the family’s social networks.
“The fact that there is affection does not rule out exploitation, which is what characterizes an abusive relationship”, said Lys Sobral Cardoso, labor attorney.
Borba also said that his daughter, who is a doctor, and friends attended to Sônia when she needed health care. He commented that he started to pay health insurance for women in 2021.
The man reported that a few years ago he took Sonia’s CPF and argued that he didn’t do it before because he didn’t think it was necessary.
The judge sent Fantástico a list of four alleged attempts to teach the woman pounds (in 1980/1981; 1990s; 1997/2000; and 2009/2010), but did not present a formal school document. He points out that the woman would have “cognitive difficulties”, but did not show any report that proves such a condition.
The CNJ (National Council of Justice) said it will investigate the conduct of the judge, who received a gross salary of almost R$63,000 last month. The man has been acting at the TJSC (Court of Justice of Santa Catarina) for over 15 years.
Read the full statement released today by the judge
Jorge Luiz de Borba, Ana Cristina Gayotto de Borba and their four children, Maria Leonor, Maria Alice, Maria Julia and Jorge Luiz, in view of the wide dissemination of news about the operation that took place in their residence, hereby clarify the following:
1 – Surprised by the widespread suggestion that they were offering treatment analogous to slavery to [trabalhadora]a person with whom they have lived for years, definitely never practiced or would tolerate such harmful conduct, even more so against whom they always treated as a family member;
2 – With the intention of regularizing the family situation, which has already existed for a long time, they announce that Jorge and Ana Cristina will file a judicial request for recognition of the affective affiliation of their [trabalhadora]including guaranteeing all hereditary rights;
3 – They will accept all suggestions made by the government, in addition to those that the family has already adopted throughout their lives, to benefit the development of the [trabalhadora];
4 – They intend to collaborate with all administrative and judicial instances, either so that there are no doubts about the factual situation existing in relation to [trabalhadora]or for the investigations to move forward quickly in order to allow the resumption of family life.
Florianópolis, June 11, 2023
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