Gender Differences in Violence and Other Human Rights Abuses Among Migrant Workers on the Thailand-Myanmar Border

Violence Against Women. 2019 Jun;25(8):945-967. doi: 10.1177/1077801218805587. Epub 2018 Oct 16.

Abstract

We describe human rights violations against migrant workers at the Thailand-Myanmar border, and evaluate differences by gender and industry. This mixed methods study pairs key informant interviews ( n = 40) with a cross-sectional quantitative survey of migrant workers from Myanmar ( n = 589) recruited via respondent-driven sampling. Key informants described significant hazards during migration, including deception, theft, and physical and sexual abuse, the latter primarily for women. Quantitative results confirmed prevalent mistreatment and abuse, with significant gender differences, most notably women's disproportionate burden of sexual abuse. Current evidence on the nature of experiences, and significant differences by gender, can position prevention and response programming.

Keywords: exploitation; gender; human rights; migrant worker; migration; sex work; violence.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Female
  • Gender-Based Violence / ethnology
  • Gender-Based Violence / psychology
  • Gender-Based Violence / statistics & numerical data*
  • Human Rights Abuses / ethnology
  • Human Rights Abuses / psychology
  • Human Rights Abuses / statistics & numerical data*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Myanmar / ethnology
  • Qualitative Research
  • Thailand / ethnology
  • Transients and Migrants / psychology
  • Transients and Migrants / statistics & numerical data*