Migrants in the Mistress's House: Other Voices in the "Trafficking" Debate
- Document number
- 1644
- Date
- 2005
- Title
- Migrants in the Mistress's House: Other Voices in the "Trafficking" Debate
- Author/publisher
- Laura María Agustín, Social Politics, 12, 1, 96-117
- Availability
- View/save PDF version of this document
- Document type(s)
- Research/Study/Analysis,
- Keywords
- Labour exploitation, Domestic labour, Slavery-like practices; Slavery, Servitude, Forced Labour, Slave Labour, Informal sector, Labour exploitation, Irregular Migration, Feminization of migration, Economic migration, Labour migration, Free movement, Undocumented migrants; Undocumented labour;
- Summary
- The debate over "prostitution" in Western feminism has been going on for many years, but recent demographic developments in Europe, notably the increase of migrant women from outside Europe, have led to its intensification, giving rise to an enormous production of writings, conferences and policy recommendations. In this article, the author alternates feminist and other theory with comments from migrants themselves. Part I describes the contours of the current migration of women to Europe and how these voyages come to be characterised in the "trafficking discourse". Part II discusses the problematic politics of defining some women as victims and other as helpers. Part III discusses the position that seeks to normalise sex work, bringing out the contradictions of working in a sector where illegality is a norm.
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