Content warning: This email discusses issues of sexual abuse.
It happened so often that Etelbina would lose count: she'd be at work cleaning homes when her bosses would grope her, expose themselves, or ask for sex. She'd flee, giving up the job and the paycheck she needed as a mother of seven.
But Etelbina had no choice but to move on to the next house. Her family was counting on her. So she kept going. Never sure if it would be safe for her on the other side of the door.
A private home is one of the most vulnerable places you can work — yet domestic workers have even fewer rights and protections against harassment than other workers.
It's exploitative and unfair: will you join our push to urgently ramp up pressure to end this discrimination against domestic workers?
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Sexual violence, including sexual harassment, is rampant in this country. Etelbina's experience is devastatingly powerful because of how common it is.
AT LEAST 1 in 4 women face sexual harassment at work. It's an epidemic of power: who has it, and who has been denied it because of their gender, race, ethnicity, or immigration status. The cure is power too, and that's exactly why the National Domestic Workers Alliance exists.
Our guiding star is to put power into the hands of the people best equipped to solve the problems domestic workers face: workers themselves. From who leads our organization to what campaigns we run to which resources we offer, domestic workers are listened to, affirmed, and in control.
This isn't just a philosophical statement: it's how we win. Etelbina was one of hundreds of domestic workers instrumental in getting Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Massachusetts, New York, and Oregon to pass bills establishing critical protections against sexual harassment for house cleaners, nannies, and in-home care workers.
But, it's not enough. Tomorrow morning millions of domestic workers will show up to the job without basic protections from harassment. And the next day. And the day after that.
NO ONE should have to put up with any form of harassment or sexual assault just to provide for their family.
We're asking for your help right now: can you join us as we urgently need to ramp up the pressure to pass robust protections for domestic workers?
Thank you,
National Domestic Workers Alliance
