“They go back more often than not. It took me five tries,” said the supervisor of the domestic violence shelter to one of the shelter’s recent victims, the main protagonist of Netflix’s “Maid” when she asked her if people go back to their partners even after their abuse. Maid does not only tackle domestic abuse, but it also tackles homelessness, poverty, and mental health.
The Netflix hit show follows Alex, a young mother of a 3 year old called Maddy. We see Alex trying to find a job, keep her daughter safe, be there for her mother. All while trying to find her own voice in the overwhelming crowds of her life.
If it bleeds, it leads…
One thing Maid focuses on in the unending struggles of domestic violence is emotional abuse. It explicitly focuses on the failings of the system to acknowledge it as a true source of danger to the victims. It shows how this crawls into the minds of the victims as well. At first, we see Alex offered help to file a police report and her answer is shocking but so believable; “And say what? That he didn’t hit me?” She says.
This leaves us with endless questions; why not do something before it’s too late? Why should the victim wait for there to be scars for proof?
Maid loudly comments on these issues by focusing on conversations between the victims of the domestic violence shelter. It follows the patterns of the victims, how they tend to go back a few times before they decide to leave their abusive relationships. It acknowledges how hard it is to break the cycle of domestic violence in the family, and also how important it is to.
Maid does not only show the horrendous consequences of living with abuse for years, it also shows the true possibilities of life when you do break that pattern. It shows how much it takes but it also shows the hope and the determination that gets you there. The show does not shy away from painting the process, nor does it sugarcoat the journey of finally getting your life together. Maid gives the end result enough credit to give victims of domestic violence hope that the cycle can and will end.
Netflix’s Maid isn’t only a representation of many lives, but it’s also a tribute to a life that is deserved and possible. We recommend you watch it for a heartfelt and real insight into the world of a survivor.
