Author ORCID Identifier

Margaret Boittin: 0000-0002-5196-7102

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

1-10-2025

Keywords

Labor Abuse, Forced Labor, Migrant Domestic Work, Experiment, Awareness Campaigns, Hong Kong

Abstract

Migrant domestic workers (MDWs) are highly vulnerable to labor abuse. Using a survey and randomized controlled trial conducted in Hong Kong, this study investigates MDWs’ labor experiences and the potential of rights-awareness campaigns in mitigating labor abuse. The campaigns increased public awareness of MDWs’ rights and reduced the social acceptability of MDWs’ mistreatment. To the extent that improving knowledge about MDWs’ rights and decreasing acceptance of mistreatment affects the behaviors of employers and others who may have leverage to help MDWs, rights-awareness campaigns can help reduce labor abuse. However, the campaigns had limited impact on MDWs themselves, who demonstrated high awareness of their rights, but often regarded mistreatment as an unavoidable aspect of their employment and experienced concerning levels of abuse. This asymmetry highlights the constrained agency of MDWs to independently address their circumstances, and emphasizes the value of rights-awareness initiatives targeting employers of MDWs and the general public.

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