Slavery in The 21st Century

Social Isolation
Regardless of their country of employment, migrant domestic workers experience social
isolation from the local community, as well as from their home community, resulting
from the move to a different country. Since they typically leave their families behind,
migrant domestic workers are separated physically from their social network, including
their children and close relatives, which contributes to their social isolation. The
language and cultural barriers further complicate this transition and make it difficult for
these workers to connect with the local population. Due to the language barrier, migrant
domestic workers know little to nothing about the local laws to protect themselves from
abuse in the work place. This prevents them from raising awareness about their working
conditions and from forming collective action.
Negative
Perceptions of
Migrant
Domestic
Workers
In addition to
their social
isolation, the
international
community often
negatively
characterizes
these workers
and their
profession as
culturally inferior.
In many
countries,
migrant domestic
workers have a reputation for being “unskilled, low-end and expendable,” which
contributes to their vulnerability to abuse and exploitation. Gender stereotypes and bias
also add to their negative perception, particularly in the case of female domestic migrant
workers who experience “disadvantages arising from their gender and the low social
status assigned to domestic work.” Discrimination is not only limited to gender, but also
extends to race, class and ethnicity.
Working Conditions
Migrant domestic workers’ working conditions further exacerbate their exposure to
abuse, which largely arises out of their informal status in the economy. Since their work
primarily takes place in private households, they are invisible from the formal labor
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