Netflix’s “Maid” Illuminates Non-Physical Abuse
by- Catrese Medley
Abuse exists in many forms besides Physical Abuse, and can be difficult to recognize unless we educate ourselves and others. Abuse may be psychological and/or isolating. Netflix’s Maid, a recent TV show, educates and poses thought provoking questions on these different forms of abuse.
What’s so Great About Netflix’s Maid?
Maid is inspired by the New York Times best-selling book by Stephanie Land, Hard Work, Low Pay, and a Mother’s Will to Survive, and the show was well on its way to reaching 67 million households in the first four weeks (Scott, 2021). The ten-episode limited series follows Alex, played by Margaret Qualley, through her metamorphosis as she goes from being abused, insecure, and captive to self-aware, empowered, and free.
The relationship between Alex and everyone around her is problematic. Her boyfriend, Sean, played by Nick Robinson, has an issue with drinking and a serious temper. We never see Sean lay a hand on Alex, but the audience is left wondering when and if Physical Abuse will occur. We see this when he punches a hole in the drywall right next to Alex’s head and when he verbally abuses and isolates her. In another scene, he berates Alex and makes her sit down at the kitchen table by herself while her father looks on and says nothing. Throughout the series, we see the evidence of abuse manifest in the form of PTSD when Alex has flashbacks. Alex’s mother, Paula, played by Andie MacDowell, is not dependable and is Verbally Abusive as well. Hank, Alex’s father, played by Billy Burke, is often unavailable because he is wrapped up in his new family.
Alex is left to deal with the abuse alone and to find a solution to her situation. She escapes and is tasked with finding work and a suitable home for her daughter Maddy, played by Rylea Nevaeh Whittet. In the process, she seeks help from social services and the courts.
At every turn, she is reminded of her economic status. Imagine being a single parent who escaped a dire situation to save your child by throwing yourself into another exhausting circumstance. Now, you are homeless and jobless. In order to get help, you have to prove to everyone you can help yourself. You get a job, but it isn’t enough. You find a place with peers who have gone through abusive situations, but you can’t stay because people say your partner didn’t abuse you because he didn’t hit you. So, you wade through all the rules and red tape just to continuously get knocked back down. You feel as if you hit rock bottom, and there seems to be no end in sight. Though you may not see the end, there is a light at the end of the tunnel.
Maid deals with a heavy subject matter but presents it in a gritty way that is believable and real. The audience is allowed to sit with Alex in all her emotional turmoil, and when she sees her way out, so do we.
Important Questions Presented to the Audience
Without this article giving too much away about the show, Alex learns some information about her mother and father that shakes her world. After you watch the show, or as you watch for a head-start, ask yourself the following:
1. Is abuse generational?
When Alex finds herself in a court battle for custody of her daughter, the court learns that she’s staying in housing designed for women coming from abusive situations. The court asks her if she has ever been hit or filed a police report. She denies both and the court forces her to find other housing options.
2. Is it even abuse if it’s not physical?
Unequivocally, the answer is yes. We see many forms of abuse within the show, and these depictions can help us recognize red flags in our own lives.
3. Is there an ongoing effort to keep an economic divide between the rich and the poor?
The TV show highlights differences between people who live in poverty and those who don’t. Many times, people look down upon those who need assistance.
4. Alienating a person on the basis of economic status is a form of abuse, right?
Alienation or setting someone apart from their group (other humans) denies many Victims and Survivors help from government agencies and requires others to jump through a million hoops. This perpetuates an ongoing cycle of poverty that trickles down from generation to generation.
A family of two in Ohio like Alex and Maddy would need an annual household income of $23,803 before taxes to be eligible for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) (Benefits.gov, 2022). This is the equivalent of $12 per hour. One dollar more, and Alex wouldn’t qualify.
Does Art Imitate Life or Does Life Imitate Art?
The second greatest point made in Netflix’s Maid is that poverty transcends race and ethnicity. It’s never positive for anyone to suffer. Many times in the media, we see certain demographics of people suffering the most. Realistically, anyone can be abused, and anyone can find themselves in poverty.
Netflix’s Maid shows us that abuse isn’t always what we perceive, and poverty is often more than a state of mind. TV series like this provide an example of a person who has dealt with abuse, survives, escapes, and marches forward to a better life.
What other TV shows or films shed light on abuse?
If you have been or are currently in an abusive situation or know of someone that is, ARO is here to support you in your personal healing journey to complete well-being. We bring awareness and education to 13 different types of abuse including Narcissistic, Sexual, Physical, Psychological, Financial, Child, Self, Cyberbullying, Bullying, Spousal, Elderly, Isolation, and Workplace, and help others heal and find peace. Please support our efforts by going to GoARO.org to learn how you can make an impact on the Abuse Care Community.
Sources
Benefits.gov. (n.d.). Ohio supplemental nutrition assistance program. https://www.benefits.gov/benefit/1588
Clawson, R. A. (2002). Poor people, black faces: the portrayal of poverty in economics textbooks. Journal of Black Studies, 32(3), 352–361.
Scott, S. (2021, October 24). ‘Maid’, Becoming Netflix’s Biggest Limited — Series, Is A Must — See. Forbes.https://www.forbes.com/sites/sheenascott/2021/10/24/maid-becoming-netflixs-biggest-limited-series-is-a-must-see/?sh=24e882597775
