Sexual harassment is a sexual behavior that is considered “unwelcome,” by the person or individuals the behavior is acted on. Unwelcome behavior does not mean the behavior is involuntary, which means the victim might participate in the behavior even if they do not want to. This sexual behavior may be physical, verbal, or non-verbal. Usually, this type of behavior occurs when there is a power dynamic, where the victim must consent in order to maintain their safety, job, or status. The women who were in the documentary sometimes had to consent to certain behavior or not report it because they were scared of the consequences if they did. These women were immigrants, often illegal immigrants, who felt powerless to their supervisors or ill-informed
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What pushes them -- or holds them back -- from turning to "authorities?"
There are more than half a million people working on farms, and a good percentage of these workers are women who are undocumented immigrants. These women often don’t speak
English, are culturally and geographically isolated, and of course, don’t have any papers.
Undocumented women immigrants are powerless because of their illegal position and disadvantaged economic status. These women work low-wage jobs, long hours, and do not feel protected under the law because of their illegal status. These disadvantages cause women who work on the fields to feel powerless to their superiors. Their superiors run the farm, are legal, and of course, have move power over the undocumented immigrants who work for them. They use this power to manipulate their workers to perform sexual behavior.
Due to feelings of helplessness, undocumented immigrant women rarely to almost never report sexual harassment to officials. Even the documentary had a hard time finding women who would come forward about the issue- they were scared for their safety and protection of their family. Women feel if they get the police involved, it puts them and their family at risk …show more content…
Since they are immigrants, these women are rarely knowledgeable about the services they have access to, even as undocumented
immigrants. Sometimes these women don’t know that individuals are protected from sexual harassment by law.
For the women who do report sexual harassment, they are rarely believed over their supervisor. These supervisors deny the incident, and if it were to go to court, there is usually not enough evidence beyond reasonable doubt. Sexual harassment of these women takes place in fields far from any witnesses, making it the woman’s statement against the supervisor’s. The jury more often than not concludes the women’s accounts are not plausible in court, but sometimes the trial ends with a settlement. Rarely are perpetrators brought to justice for their behavior.
Even when farms are investigated for sexual harassment, little is found evidence wise, but there have been multiple accusations that were just deemed not credible. Since the women who speak out do not receive justice, even more women are discouraged to speak out about their sexual harassment. Only three states have sexual harassment training for their field workers, and the
What pushes them -- or holds them back -- from turning to "authorities?"
There are more than half a million people working on farms, and a good percentage of these workers are women who are undocumented immigrants. These women often don’t speak
English, are culturally and geographically isolated, and of course, don’t have any papers.
Undocumented women immigrants are powerless because of their illegal position and disadvantaged economic status. These women work low-wage jobs, long hours, and do not feel protected under the law because of their illegal status. These disadvantages cause women who work on the fields to feel powerless to their superiors. Their superiors run the farm, are legal, and of course, have move power over the undocumented immigrants who work for them. They use this power to manipulate their workers to perform sexual behavior.
Due to feelings of helplessness, undocumented immigrant women rarely to almost never report sexual harassment to officials. Even the documentary had a hard time finding women who would come forward about the issue- they were scared for their safety and protection of their family. Women feel if they get the police involved, it puts them and their family at risk …show more content…
Since they are immigrants, these women are rarely knowledgeable about the services they have access to, even as undocumented
immigrants. Sometimes these women don’t know that individuals are protected from sexual harassment by law.
For the women who do report sexual harassment, they are rarely believed over their supervisor. These supervisors deny the incident, and if it were to go to court, there is usually not enough evidence beyond reasonable doubt. Sexual harassment of these women takes place in fields far from any witnesses, making it the woman’s statement against the supervisor’s. The jury more often than not concludes the women’s accounts are not plausible in court, but sometimes the trial ends with a settlement. Rarely are perpetrators brought to justice for their behavior.
Even when farms are investigated for sexual harassment, little is found evidence wise, but there have been multiple accusations that were just deemed not credible. Since the women who speak out do not receive justice, even more women are discouraged to speak out about their sexual harassment. Only three states have sexual harassment training for their field workers, and the