What do you think?
Rate this book
In a Day's Work: The Fight to End Sexual Violence Against America’s Most Vulnerable Workers
“When they know they can have some type of security, some kind of protection, then they’ll come forth. But it takes a lot. It takes a lot.” —Dolores Huerta, United Farm Workers co-founder
Apple orchards in bucolic Washington state. Office parks in Southern California under cover of night. The home of an elderly man in Miami. These are some of the workplaces where female workers have suffered brutal sexual assault and shocking harassment at the hands of their employers, often with little or no official recourse. In this harrowing yet often inspiring tale, investigative journalist Bernice Yeung exposes the epidemic of sexual violence levied against women farmworkers, domestic workers, and janitorial workers and charts their quest for justice in the workplace.
Yeung takes readers on a journey across the country, introducing us to women who came to America to escape grinding poverty only to encounter sexual violence in the United States. In a Day’s Work exposes the underbelly of economies filled with employers who take advantage of immigrant women’s need to earn a basic living. When these women find the courage to speak up, Yeung reveals, they are too often met by apathetic bosses and underresourced government agencies. But In a Day’s Work also tells a story of resistance, introducing a group of courageous allies who challenge dangerous and discriminatory workplace conditions alongside aggrieved workers—and win. Moving and inspiring, this book will change our understanding of the lives of immigrant women.
Apple orchards in bucolic Washington state. Office parks in Southern California under cover of night. The home of an elderly man in Miami. These are some of the workplaces where female workers have suffered brutal sexual assault and shocking harassment at the hands of their employers, often with little or no official recourse. In this harrowing yet often inspiring tale, investigative journalist Bernice Yeung exposes the epidemic of sexual violence levied against women farmworkers, domestic workers, and janitorial workers and charts their quest for justice in the workplace.
Yeung takes readers on a journey across the country, introducing us to women who came to America to escape grinding poverty only to encounter sexual violence in the United States. In a Day’s Work exposes the underbelly of economies filled with employers who take advantage of immigrant women’s need to earn a basic living. When these women find the courage to speak up, Yeung reveals, they are too often met by apathetic bosses and underresourced government agencies. But In a Day’s Work also tells a story of resistance, introducing a group of courageous allies who challenge dangerous and discriminatory workplace conditions alongside aggrieved workers—and win. Moving and inspiring, this book will change our understanding of the lives of immigrant women.
240 pages, Hardcover
First published March 20, 2018
20 people are currently reading
3994 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews
March 16, 2018
This was a very difficult read (emotionally) about the complex web of challenges surrounding sexual assault among specific populations in the United States - custodial and farm/seasonal workers. Many either don't know their rights or are undocumented and can't pursue legal action, all really need the money and are taken advantage of at much higher rates than the rest of the population. Bernice Yeung has been researching and writing about this topic for years now, and includes in here some personal stories, some legal battles (most of them frustratingly not helping these workers), and strides some organizations have made in some key states.
There is still so much work left to do.
I think of the national attention to human trafficking (just try to use a stall at the Atlanta airport without seeing information!) and I'm super supportive of that. But this seems like an even greater number of people who are at risk for sexual violence. Some in this book, unfortunately, have been victims of both.
I remember doing research on migrant workers and housing policies in my area of Oregon as a high schooler, and how much effort that took, but how much those efforts paid off in the end. It was like they had to push and pursue legal action until it reached a tipping point, and people employing migrant workers had to make changes because they were no longer protected from having to follow the rules. That's what needs to happen here, but it seems like it will take an inordinate amount of effort. I'm not sure I'm encouraged. It feels pretty bleak, but we must.
Thanks to the publisher for providing access to this title through NetGalley. It comes out March 20, 2018.
There is still so much work left to do.
I think of the national attention to human trafficking (just try to use a stall at the Atlanta airport without seeing information!) and I'm super supportive of that. But this seems like an even greater number of people who are at risk for sexual violence. Some in this book, unfortunately, have been victims of both.
I remember doing research on migrant workers and housing policies in my area of Oregon as a high schooler, and how much effort that took, but how much those efforts paid off in the end. It was like they had to push and pursue legal action until it reached a tipping point, and people employing migrant workers had to make changes because they were no longer protected from having to follow the rules. That's what needs to happen here, but it seems like it will take an inordinate amount of effort. I'm not sure I'm encouraged. It feels pretty bleak, but we must.
Thanks to the publisher for providing access to this title through NetGalley. It comes out March 20, 2018.
January 3, 2021
I find it incredibly upsetting how many women and girls have been cruelly and horrifically hurt and murdered because they prostitutes. And distressing how most of society seems not to care that much as if these women and girls are not fully human . Prostitutes are human beings, often beautiful human being some of them incredibly good hearted.
Stopping the murder of sex workers must be a priority! the answer is to ensure no women have to do this .A society is nothing if it does not put at the very heart of its policy considerations, the welfare of the vulnerable in society.
what is certain is that any woman who finds herself involved in prostitution out of desperate economic necessity or another has aright to be safe and protected and to have realistic exit routes out of prostitution. Women do not deserve to be horribly murdered by warped men because they work as prostitutes
Stopping the murder of sex workers must be a priority! the answer is to ensure no women have to do this .A society is nothing if it does not put at the very heart of its policy considerations, the welfare of the vulnerable in society.
what is certain is that any woman who finds herself involved in prostitution out of desperate economic necessity or another has aright to be safe and protected and to have realistic exit routes out of prostitution. Women do not deserve to be horribly murdered by warped men because they work as prostitutes
November 25, 2020
Truly a must read.
In a Day's Work: The Fight to End Sexual Violence Against America's Most Vulnerable Workers. A nominee for the Pulitzer and winner of the PEN/Galbraith Award for Nonfiction, this book focuses on sexual violence against women farmworkers, domestic workers, and janitorial workers - and efforts to stem this violence.
"As outsiders, we were shocked, but this was a problem that had been known within the farmworker community for generations. The confluence of economic precariousness, language barriers, shame, fear, and immigration status had created a workplace where women sexually abused believed they had no choice but to try to deflect or somehow endure the violence."
In A Day's Work is important, and I hope will become widely read (as of this posting, it only has 30 reviews on Goodreads after 2 years). I will note, though, that I often took breaks from the text... Yeung writes in a straightforward way I found appropriate and heartbreaking. So many of these women have endured so much - and it's clear that they're not the only ones. Still, I feel honored to have read their stories, and grateful to Yeung for this book. (There is hope in these pages, too, in all who have come forward and fought for better.)
In a Day's Work: The Fight to End Sexual Violence Against America's Most Vulnerable Workers. A nominee for the Pulitzer and winner of the PEN/Galbraith Award for Nonfiction, this book focuses on sexual violence against women farmworkers, domestic workers, and janitorial workers - and efforts to stem this violence.
"As outsiders, we were shocked, but this was a problem that had been known within the farmworker community for generations. The confluence of economic precariousness, language barriers, shame, fear, and immigration status had created a workplace where women sexually abused believed they had no choice but to try to deflect or somehow endure the violence."
In A Day's Work is important, and I hope will become widely read (as of this posting, it only has 30 reviews on Goodreads after 2 years). I will note, though, that I often took breaks from the text... Yeung writes in a straightforward way I found appropriate and heartbreaking. So many of these women have endured so much - and it's clear that they're not the only ones. Still, I feel honored to have read their stories, and grateful to Yeung for this book. (There is hope in these pages, too, in all who have come forward and fought for better.)
August 13, 2019
"To start, there is the predictable list of barriers: fear of losing their jobs, fear of being blamed by their husbands and partners, and the immutable sense of shame. They're terrified of what it might feel like to talk about the assault, and they have real concerns about what it would mean for their safety. They worry about what would happen to their families if they were deported as a result of coming forward. Then, for women like Hernandez, who were desperate and driven enough to cross borders to leave impoverished and violent homes, there is one more complication to add to the list: you have to ask how they were living before they got here."
Yeung explores the daily realities of sexual violence and rape at work for low-income, and often immigrant, women of color who perform custodial, agricultural, and domestic labor through (very hard to read) case studies of the rare women who have come forward. She also powerfully distills decades of research into the factors that keep these women and the violence that they endure invisible to the public, the effects of trauma on memory, and the rape myths and legal technicalities that impede justice in the 2% of cases that make it to trial. A very clear, accessible, and moving account of a intersectional #metoo that has been unfolding by way of immigrant and labor advocacy organizations for decades. And one even more crucial at this particular moment given current atrocities at the border and the recession of labor regulations under this administration.
Yeung explores the daily realities of sexual violence and rape at work for low-income, and often immigrant, women of color who perform custodial, agricultural, and domestic labor through (very hard to read) case studies of the rare women who have come forward. She also powerfully distills decades of research into the factors that keep these women and the violence that they endure invisible to the public, the effects of trauma on memory, and the rape myths and legal technicalities that impede justice in the 2% of cases that make it to trial. A very clear, accessible, and moving account of a intersectional #metoo that has been unfolding by way of immigrant and labor advocacy organizations for decades. And one even more crucial at this particular moment given current atrocities at the border and the recession of labor regulations under this administration.
August 20, 2022
Was very informative! Both about sexual violence in the workplace and the organizing done to combat it. While there were points of criticism for unions, overall it was very hopeful in the power of workers to fight for better conditions
Some negatives are descriptions of sexual assault and a racial slur said twice
Some negatives are descriptions of sexual assault and a racial slur said twice
March 17, 2019
Such an important book. Among the many revelatory things was how much fear of unemployment is as a factor in enabling the sexual violence against precarious workers. Yeung suggests—to her surprise—it’s even more of a factor than undocumented immigration status. The implication of this point is that a job guarantee would be an immensely important reform to undermine sexual violence.
October 11, 2018
"By questioning Hill’s veracity so forcefully without giving her a chance to back up the weight of her claims, the senators sent a clear message that women who speak up about unwanted sexual behavior by a powerful man will be disbelieved and perhaps even publicly called liars." - Regarding the confirmation of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas
Given the current events, this seemed like a relevant book to pick up (thanks to Bookshop Santa Cruz for recommending it as part of their Women’s Voices selection).
The women interviewed in this book are supposed to be invisible: They work the night shift as janitors; they work as farmers, and they work as housekeepers or caregivers. They are undocumented, and more often than not, this means that they have no protection against their aggressors. They need to work to support their families, so when they are harassed or abused, they don’t speak up out of fear that they will lose their job. They are afraid that no one will believe them.
And they should be afraid, because in the US, 1 in 3 women experience sexual violence in their lifetime, and a shocking 8% of rapes occur while the victim is at work (according to a study as old as 1999). And these numbers don’t account for the women who never come forward out of fear and shame. The women in this book who did choose to speak to Human Resources (in the jobs that actually had HR) were met with no support. Many were abused multiple times, and reading their experiences is absolutely horrific.
Here, we see how little we do in this country to protect human rights. One of the things I appreciated about Yeung’s narrative is that she provides actionable steps forward for addressing this problem. More of these small companies need to conduct training on preventing sexual violence. We need better legislation for protecting those in professions where they are working alone. We need men to take a stand when they see something is wrong. And Yeung doesn’t come out and say this, but the resources are there: we need to support the causes which are helping to enforce change in this country.
National Domestic Workers Alliance
National Women’s Law Center
California Rural Legal Assistance
See more of my reviews: Blog // Instagram
Given the current events, this seemed like a relevant book to pick up (thanks to Bookshop Santa Cruz for recommending it as part of their Women’s Voices selection).
The women interviewed in this book are supposed to be invisible: They work the night shift as janitors; they work as farmers, and they work as housekeepers or caregivers. They are undocumented, and more often than not, this means that they have no protection against their aggressors. They need to work to support their families, so when they are harassed or abused, they don’t speak up out of fear that they will lose their job. They are afraid that no one will believe them.
And they should be afraid, because in the US, 1 in 3 women experience sexual violence in their lifetime, and a shocking 8% of rapes occur while the victim is at work (according to a study as old as 1999). And these numbers don’t account for the women who never come forward out of fear and shame. The women in this book who did choose to speak to Human Resources (in the jobs that actually had HR) were met with no support. Many were abused multiple times, and reading their experiences is absolutely horrific.
Here, we see how little we do in this country to protect human rights. One of the things I appreciated about Yeung’s narrative is that she provides actionable steps forward for addressing this problem. More of these small companies need to conduct training on preventing sexual violence. We need better legislation for protecting those in professions where they are working alone. We need men to take a stand when they see something is wrong. And Yeung doesn’t come out and say this, but the resources are there: we need to support the causes which are helping to enforce change in this country.
National Domestic Workers Alliance
National Women’s Law Center
California Rural Legal Assistance
See more of my reviews: Blog // Instagram
May 25, 2019
Somewhat repetitive, Leung sends dispatches from the front lines of the fight against sexual harassment in the United States while also providing context through personal stories, summaries of legal battles, sociological & psychological studies and discussions with industry leaders. While all the women’s stories are set in different places, they all showcase the gross power struggle women of color face in the workplace.
June 5, 2018
I already knew from her work on "Rape in the Fields" that Bernice Yeung's examination of sex crimes against field and domestic workers would be worth the read. True to expectations, it is thorough, factual, and has a quiet narrative force that kept me reading page after page. What I didn't expect was to find it a hopeful book. Yeung does not flinch from hard facts. But she has profound respect for the women fighting back, for themselves and for others like them. By the end of "In a Day's Work" I wanted to cheer ... for them, and for this book.
October 22, 2019
Yeung is providing critical information and analysis here about populations that have typically been ignored or undervalued when we talk about rape culture and workplace sexual assault. However, I also found it, at times, repetitive, and a little dry in terms of the prose.
Read
April 6, 2024For me In a Day’s Work was unfortunately only ok, but because this book contains the testimony’s of sexual abuse survivors I won’t rate it that low. I would have loved if In a Day’s Work had a more critical look into sexual abuse among vulnerable workers. It talked about three industries where sexual abuse is more likely (agriculture, janitoral/cleaning and domestic services), who is more vulnerable (undocumented immigrant women of color without financial, social, or occupational stability who speak minimal english), and how perpetrators get away with it (survivor’s shame, difficulty in evidence collection and prosecution), but there weren’t critical discussions of why. I hoped to gain a better understanding of each industry’s structure and history with sexual abuse, why cheap labor has become necessary in these industries and what would happen if we structured work around worker wellbeing instead of corporate wealth. There was little to no critical discussion of misogyny, masculinity, machismo, or capitalism and I was disappointed by the solutions the author argued for.
One program is using consumer power to force companies to adopt sexual harassment policies that protect workers in tomato fields. From what the author said, this program has made improvements for people which is fantastic. If it protects just one person, then it’s worth it. But what they missed, in my opinion, is that this strategy places consumer demand as the driving force. It’s about money for the corporation, not about the workers. The corporations who don’t participate won’t be as competitive compared to others that do participate and will then lose money. The exact values that created a dangerous workplace remain in control. I was hoping for a more radical reimagining because it's hard to build an ideal future without first imagining it.
Another thing that bugged me was that even though the author talk about who is more vulnerable to sexual abuse, I didn’t ge tot know the people whose stories they shared. They mentioned random facts but focused on relatively graphic depictions of their sexual assaults. And worse, when the author recalled these people later in the book, the survivor was referred to as “Name, who was raped by her manager/patient/client/boss in a janitor’s closet/the field/his office/truck, etc.” It rubbed me wrong.
That being said, there were some passages that I thought were very interesting such as those discussing how rape has been defined, by whom, in what contexts, and whose voices are not heard in these discussions. Also very well-done I thought was the section that compared how people think survivors behave, and how they actually do, and explored how social pressures can increase or decrease the risk of sexual harassment. The author also cited several works related to sexual abuse which I plan on exploring so I can continue to learn more.
One program is using consumer power to force companies to adopt sexual harassment policies that protect workers in tomato fields. From what the author said, this program has made improvements for people which is fantastic. If it protects just one person, then it’s worth it. But what they missed, in my opinion, is that this strategy places consumer demand as the driving force. It’s about money for the corporation, not about the workers. The corporations who don’t participate won’t be as competitive compared to others that do participate and will then lose money. The exact values that created a dangerous workplace remain in control. I was hoping for a more radical reimagining because it's hard to build an ideal future without first imagining it.
Another thing that bugged me was that even though the author talk about who is more vulnerable to sexual abuse, I didn’t ge tot know the people whose stories they shared. They mentioned random facts but focused on relatively graphic depictions of their sexual assaults. And worse, when the author recalled these people later in the book, the survivor was referred to as “Name, who was raped by her manager/patient/client/boss in a janitor’s closet/the field/his office/truck, etc.” It rubbed me wrong.
That being said, there were some passages that I thought were very interesting such as those discussing how rape has been defined, by whom, in what contexts, and whose voices are not heard in these discussions. Also very well-done I thought was the section that compared how people think survivors behave, and how they actually do, and explored how social pressures can increase or decrease the risk of sexual harassment. The author also cited several works related to sexual abuse which I plan on exploring so I can continue to learn more.
September 8, 2024
I used to believe I was the only one
But we are thousands and thousands of women who have endured this fear
It was not easy to break our silence
The first time I couldn’t even get the words out but I’m not afraid anymore,
I’m not ashamed anymore
Today I know it was not my fault
I survived
Since girlhood I’ve borne this pain, I thought the world was cruel
You made me lose my dreams
My life became a nightmare, where I distrusted even my shadow
With such disgust I recall the first, second, and third time you took me as if
I were a dessert
You humiliated me as if I were an animal
You were like a lion, awaiting your prey
I survived
Today I know we are many
Today I know that when I broke my silence I joined many who had done the
same
Today I know I am not alone
Today I know it was not my fault
And today I say with my head held high that I feel no shame
Today I ask God to bless you and forgive you so you never do this to
anyone again
I survived
I am here as a Promotora
I am here as a woman who dreams of changing the world
I am here as a Rape Survivor
Today I tell you smiling that I have begun to heal and that I begin a new era,
guided by love for my daughter and for the new hope that will come
soon
I am here with all of you and with my heart brimming with pride I tell you,
We did it
I am now merely a shell of a woman. Please, do read this.
But we are thousands and thousands of women who have endured this fear
It was not easy to break our silence
The first time I couldn’t even get the words out but I’m not afraid anymore,
I’m not ashamed anymore
Today I know it was not my fault
I survived
Since girlhood I’ve borne this pain, I thought the world was cruel
You made me lose my dreams
My life became a nightmare, where I distrusted even my shadow
With such disgust I recall the first, second, and third time you took me as if
I were a dessert
You humiliated me as if I were an animal
You were like a lion, awaiting your prey
I survived
Today I know we are many
Today I know that when I broke my silence I joined many who had done the
same
Today I know I am not alone
Today I know it was not my fault
And today I say with my head held high that I feel no shame
Today I ask God to bless you and forgive you so you never do this to
anyone again
I survived
I am here as a Promotora
I am here as a woman who dreams of changing the world
I am here as a Rape Survivor
Today I tell you smiling that I have begun to heal and that I begin a new era,
guided by love for my daughter and for the new hope that will come
soon
I am here with all of you and with my heart brimming with pride I tell you,
We did it
I am now merely a shell of a woman. Please, do read this.
April 19, 2022
Sadly, in the US, immigrant workers are mistreated and taken advantage of daily. Women, especially who work picking crops and in service industries as maids and in home health care, are often sexually assaulted as well. This book details the abuses that immigrant women suffer and the movement to bring attention to and end that abuse. The book is eye opening and rather horrifying. In one study, it was found that "one third of the men interviewed said that they would probably force a woman into sex acts if they knew they wouldn't get caught." A latter study showed that "male attraction to sexual violence is more common than most people had previously realized." It was also found that this male sexual violence can be turned aside if other men speak out about it rather than joining in or ignoring it.
Because many brave women have spoken out, there are now education and support groups to help stop sexual violence in the workplace and laws that punish companies who don't fire the men who are rapists and sexually abusive.
This book is an excellent resource and is quite eye opening. I highly recommend it.
Because many brave women have spoken out, there are now education and support groups to help stop sexual violence in the workplace and laws that punish companies who don't fire the men who are rapists and sexually abusive.
This book is an excellent resource and is quite eye opening. I highly recommend it.
April 16, 2018
Hollywood stars are not the only ones affected by a rape culture within an industry. Imagine that you're a woman who supports children and may or may not be in the US illegally. You eke out a living on subsistence wages and can't afford to lose your job, yet go to work each day knowing that you will most likely be brutally assaulted or raped by your supervisor. You desperately try to avoid him, but he comes after you and threatens to withhold your check or have you deported or cause physical harm to your children if you don't consent.
This book tells stories of lettuce pickers, office cleaners, child care providers, janitors, adult caregivers and other women who help keep the economy running and make American lives easier, but work outside public view and are easier to abuse. They are raped in cars, on loading docks, in closets, apple orchards, lettuce fields, homes, motels and office buildings. The book details the efforts of nonprofit and union coalitions to find these women and support them in court cases while lobbying for laws to prevent sexual abuse in the workplace.
This book tells stories of lettuce pickers, office cleaners, child care providers, janitors, adult caregivers and other women who help keep the economy running and make American lives easier, but work outside public view and are easier to abuse. They are raped in cars, on loading docks, in closets, apple orchards, lettuce fields, homes, motels and office buildings. The book details the efforts of nonprofit and union coalitions to find these women and support them in court cases while lobbying for laws to prevent sexual abuse in the workplace.
May 8, 2018
This is a very timely, informative read about sexual harassment and assault in the workplace among those whose jobs we rarely see--night custodians, farm workers, domestic workers. Many of these workers are female, and many of them are undocumented. They are often afraid to pursue legal action against the men who violate them due to their undocumented status, fear of losing their jobs, or because they simply do not think that they will be believed. In addition to the threat of rape from male bosses at work, these workers are also taken advantage of in other ways, like being forced to work for no pay, in dangerous conditions, given no breaks, etc.
It is obvious that the Ms. Yeung has been working on this topic for a long time, and her knowledge of this topic shows brilliantly in her writing. There was a documentary that came on PBS's "Frontline" about 2 years ago which reported on the plight of female farmworkers, another that came on about a year ago that reported on the sexual harassment of female custodians. I watched both of these programs. Much of the reporting on both of those stories (both excellent) were completed by this author as well. I also liked how the author gives solutions how this problem is being tackled by new legislation and oversight committees that are currently in place, attempting to protect and make a difference in the lives of female workers.
An impactful, well-researched book. Highly recommend!
It is obvious that the Ms. Yeung has been working on this topic for a long time, and her knowledge of this topic shows brilliantly in her writing. There was a documentary that came on PBS's "Frontline" about 2 years ago which reported on the plight of female farmworkers, another that came on about a year ago that reported on the sexual harassment of female custodians. I watched both of these programs. Much of the reporting on both of those stories (both excellent) were completed by this author as well. I also liked how the author gives solutions how this problem is being tackled by new legislation and oversight committees that are currently in place, attempting to protect and make a difference in the lives of female workers.
An impactful, well-researched book. Highly recommend!
November 3, 2020
This is a book about labor trafficking that goes on in the United States. It is a subject that is not often focused on, but was well researched and explained within this book's chapters.
Portions of this book talk about the luring of immigrant people to do cheap labor in the US who end up being mistreated, put in poor living and working conditions, and are abused; many times raped, beaten, and/or exploited.
Another section of this book talks about those who have fought against their traffickers in order to find freedom.
This book is insightful and informative, covering much of the topic in an engaging way. There are moments of sexual abuse described in this book, as a warning of content.
Portions of this book talk about the luring of immigrant people to do cheap labor in the US who end up being mistreated, put in poor living and working conditions, and are abused; many times raped, beaten, and/or exploited.
Another section of this book talks about those who have fought against their traffickers in order to find freedom.
This book is insightful and informative, covering much of the topic in an engaging way. There are moments of sexual abuse described in this book, as a warning of content.
June 9, 2024
Coming from a family where work like that presented in this book allowed for me to get an education and have a good life now, it was heartbreaking to read what women go through when faced with an impossible situation - say what happened and watch your children starve or go on like it never happened? Besides the horrible stories presented in the book, there is a sense of hope - people are working out there to inform, prevent, and bring to justice. But the system still works against them and the most vulnerable still fall through the cracks. A necessary book for everyone as migrant work becomes a phenomenon just about everywhere. Sometimes seeing something and saying something might mean a lot for someone who feels completely trapped.
April 5, 2020
A book that can be difficult to read based on the subject matter but one that can be very eye opening. I think most of us know that these happen to these women, but sometimes can get so caught up in the stories we do hear that you can forget that there are plenty of women who simply can't report things for a variety of reasons. Our legal system, especially in certain states and under the current administration, rely on this fear to sweep many things under the rug. There's barely protection for the so called "perfect" victim, forget someone in a position where a report could mean going back to an even worse place. The stories are sad and difficult but well worth the read.
September 27, 2024
A fantastic read about the “hidden” problem of sexual violence among migrant workers. This story highlights the intersectionality of being an undocumented immigrant and a woman in industries that are complicit with allowing sexual violence to occur. I very much appreciated the author consistently describing workplace sexual violence as an occupational hazard, because it truly is.
At a time when xenophobia is being propagated and normalized, I highly suggest reading this book to remind us all of their humanity and the many risks immigrants, especially migrant women, take when coming to the US for work. Overall, well done!
At a time when xenophobia is being propagated and normalized, I highly suggest reading this book to remind us all of their humanity and the many risks immigrants, especially migrant women, take when coming to the US for work. Overall, well done!
October 31, 2018
This book is the culmination of years of investigative journalism done during 2012-15. It documents the widespread problem of sexual violence experienced by immigrant laborers--some of this country's most vulnerable workers. It covers the janitorial, agricultural, and domestic care industries, and discusses the roles federal govt orgs, states, nonprofits, and unions play in tackling rampant sexual violence & exploitation of female immigrant workers. Very heavy read. I had to space these chapters out over two weeks. Obvi, TW for sexual abuse.
March 19, 2020
I know this has received high marks and it is an important subject but it reads like someone’s dissertation. Definitely expounds on the problem of sexual harassment and assault within migrant & immigrant professions such as janitorial services, agriculture, domestic care, etc. I was surprised at how often these cases never make it to criminal court even when the victims take a stand. Civil court seems the more effective route. The organizations mentioned on the book are doing the vital work of educating workers on their rights and holding companies responsible for turning a blind eye.
June 1, 2021
This book highlights agricultural work and cleaning companies as unregulated areas that are rife with sexual violence and lack of compensation due to their many undocumented workers. It was eye-opening and disturbing, but fell a bit short when it came to solutions. A worker's permit would allow women to come forward to demand safe working conditions without fear of deportation. It was hard to read about people in such vulnerable positions being taken advantage of in deplorable ways.
*thanks to goodreads and the publisher for the free advanced copy
*thanks to goodreads and the publisher for the free advanced copy
December 17, 2018
This book reports on the under-publicized side of #MeToo; how low-wage workers (often of color and/or undocumented) are victims of sexual violence at work, and how their perilous status makes it hard for them to speak up. It's brief but efficient: well reported, clearly written, and strategic--lays out both the legal obstacles, and describes some recent success stories of organization and legislation.
March 5, 2019
Eye-opening study and reporting regarding sexual abuse of powerless women. Undocumented immigrants working as maids, janitors, farm workers who are taken advantage of in ruthless, cruel ways. When the women have gotten together and taken legal action they have been marginally successful. The hope is to improve training, protection and working conditions so that there is limited opportunity for sexual abuse.
November 28, 2021
I found this hard to listen to because some things were so close to home, and I considered stopping about an hour in (I was also having deja vu, and I still can't remember the title of the book that I'd read years earlier on similar topic). Content was good for the public to know, of course, but the optimistic tone was misleading, like a movie with a happy ending when in reality not much has changed for women working in the industry.
June 6, 2018
A heartbreaking look at how the most vulnerable workers in the US are abused, exploited, and ignored. With compassion and clarity, Yeung tells some of their stories and of the various groups around the country documenting abuses, helping workers, and pushing for changes in law and society.
Under TRump, these women's lives are bound to get worse.
Under TRump, these women's lives are bound to get worse.
May 8, 2020
This book combines personal stories with academic research to showcase the breadth and depth of the problem of sexual abuse and assault against vulnerable workers, particularly farmworkers, janitors, and domestic workers. Yeung was a reporter and she tells the stories very accessibly and the book has a strong narrative arc towards hope.
April 14, 2018
Good book on sexual harassment in the workplace. Especially against minorities and lower paid workers. Gives one a lot to think about. Thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for the ARC of this book in return for my honest review.
October 15, 2022
A journalist’s research into sexual harassment in the lives of undocumented workers in the United States and what we can do to uplift their voices. Women’s health and safety in their places of employment is not a niche problem. It is a labor rights issue.
September 21, 2023
Yeung wove together data and statistics with personal stories to create a compelling case for protecting workers from sexual violence. Besides the actual numbers, most of the content won't be new to those already familiar with the problem.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews