Labor trafficking: A mental health perspective.

Abstract

Marie, a 17-year-old Haitian girl, travels to the United States with her stepfather to work as a live-in housekeeper for a wealthy family. 1 Her stepfather assures her mother back in Haiti that Marie will complete her schooling in the United States and be well taken care of in her employer's large household. Marie's passport is taken away upon arrival, and her cell phone is confiscated, in order to not "distract her from her work duties." She is forbidden to contact her family members. The employer forces Marie to work from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. with no breaks. She now owes her employer $10,000 in recruitment and employment fees. Marie is not paid for her work, and she relies on her employer to supply her with food and personal hygiene products. Her employer threatens her and her stepfather with deportation if she tries to leave. Marie does not recognize that she is trafficked due to trafficker abuse, manipulation, and poor understanding of labor laws and legal rights.