A Virginia federal judge awarded $3.3 million to a Yemeni woman who was enslaved by a State Department employee and repeatedly raped by that worker's husband.
The 12-page decision does not name the woman who was kept in involuntary servitude for three months in 2009.
Linda and Russell Howard lured her to Tokyo in December 2008 with promises that she would earn $200 a month cleaning their home in the U.S. Embassy compound.
The Howards allegedly said they would quickly raise her salary to $300 a month, give her a day off every week, and a safe place to live at the Embassy compound.
Instead, Jane Doe says she was repeatedly raped and forced to work more than 80 hours per week, earning $0.88 per hour.
"At trial, plaintiff testified that Russell Howard raped her at least four times, and that he forced her to perform oral sex approximately ten times, and that he repeatedly sexually assaulted her," U.S. District Judge Liam O'Grady said. "Plaintiff testified that Linda Howard was complicit in her husband's sexual abuse, telling plaintiff that she should gratify Russell Howard and make Russell happy."
Russell Howard allegedly told Doe that the couple had "several previous domestic workers from whom he demanded sex, including threesome sexual contact with both of the Howards. He told Mrs. Doe that prior workers who refused to comply with his requests had been fired."
In addition to the sexual abuse, Russell Howard also would not let Doe practice her religion.
"The Howards controlled all aspects of Mrs. Does' life in Tokyo, including limiting her
