Study finds Female Immigrant Farmworkers commonly harassed, assaulted

Rape, stalking, unwanted touching, exhibitionism, vulgar and obscene language all allegedly done by supervisors and employers. According to a report by Human Rights Watch, these are the types of abuses female immigrant farmworkers experience.

The new report, released Wednesday, included dozens of interviews with farmworkers, attorneys and advocates in seven states, including California. According to the organization, farmworkers are not only commonly subject to the abuses, but rarely report them, fearing reprisals by their employers.

Unauthorized immigrants make up at least 50 percent of the agricultural workforce, according to Human Rights Watch. The study’s author and researcher Grace Meng said abusers often continue the harassment over long periods of time, while the women feel powerless to report anything.

“Instead of being valued for their contributions, immigrant farmworkers are subject to a dysfunctional immigration system and labor laws that exclude them from basic protections most workers take for granted,” said Meng.

Approximately 3 million people who perform farm work in the United States and about 630,000 of those workers are women. One alleged victim, Carina Diaz, spoke about her experiences in a video for the Human Rights Watch.

“There is no job where you won’t be harassed, Diaz said. “There are two or three men in every job.”

The organization focused on the interviews with more than 160 farmworkers, members of the agricultural industry, police and other experts nationwide. The report also mirrors two studies that were done in California.

Alleged victims may be seeing some headway. On Wednesday, the House of Representatives passed Republican legislation protecting women. Lawmakers reauthorizied the Violence Against Women Act after a debate on Capitol Hill.

Local U.S. Rep. Mary Bono Mack spoke on the House floor, voicing her support behind the bill.

“Murder. Sexual violence. Domestic violence. More than 1 million women in the United States will be victimized this year. And it’s estimated that 1 in 4 women in the U.S. will experience domestic violence at some point in their lifetime,” said U.S. Rep. Bono Mack, R-45.

“As a society, we can’t seem to find a way to stop this terrible sickness. But this legislation gives victims and their families a safe place to turn for help.”

However, the White House and most Democrats have said the legislation does not do enough to protect immigrants, Native Americans or gays.

The law has been renewed twice since its inception in 1994.