On Latina Domestic Workers
It did not come to the imagination of immigrants from Central America to the US in search of greener pastures that they would regret their decision one day. Upon arrival, several of them accepted the exploitative domestic work jobs so that they may make ends meet. Everything was completely new to the women; starting with the country itself, people around, buildings and even their jobs. All their mysteries at the workplace stem from the fact that they were not documented. As such, their employer would take advantage of the desperate situations to their detriment (Rodriguez, 19).
The women could not complain of the extremely low wages despite the fact that they worked under harsh environmental conditions. Should they refuse to work or object their employer’s sexual advances they would be threatened. The intimidations would be based on the fact that they were undocumented and as such had nowhere to run to. Domestic work among Latina women created a unique platform where people from different socio-economic backgrounds were brought together under the same conditions. They are exploited in equal measure by their employers to the extent of forgetting the issues that used to separate them in the past. The situations faced by each of the women actually made them to be friends (Rodriguez, 35). They would occasionally meet after work and deliberate on the way forward. They believed that just by sharing, they would be motivated to seek appropriate ways in which to fight against their struggles.
Domestic work across the globe is known to have aspects of extortion and exploitation. In these kinds of jobs, the employer’s word must not be questioned. They have the final word on all aspects of their employees’ lives. After years of torture, the women became used to the mistreatment and were more concerned with looking for their families.
Works Cited
Rodriguez, Guadalupe, et al. “Latina workers in North Carolina: work organization, domestic responsibilities, health, and family life.” Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health 18.3 (2016): 687-696.
