Desperate women are forced to bite the bait of marriage brokers licensed by the state for further commodification of labor and for bigger profits.
These women endure state violence on border control, discrimination, degrading treatment, objects of sexual pleasure, and victims of domestic violence.
They face some of the strictest laws in host countries, such as in the acquisition of permanent residency or adopting the nationality of their spouse. In such a situation, marriage migrants are already made vulnerable to abuses.
Once in the host country, marriage migrants experience social isolation and difficulty adapting to a new environment, including intimidation and exploitation from the confines of their newfound homes to the neighborhood their spouses belong to, from the workplace to the very offices of government agencies.
Their access to employment is equally tough even with a permanent residency visa as the only available jobs include factory work, service-related work such as waiting in restaurants, as cleaners in hotels, tending food stands, and domestic work; such jobs fall in the 4-D category: dirty, difficult, dangerous, and demeaning. Oftentimes, they face bullying, intimidation and sexual harassment with many of them gravely underpaid and in constant threat of being laid off.
These and other conditions have pushed marriage migrants to come together, organize and empower themselves.. With the support of non-governmental migrant-serving institutions and local individuals, they are able to form their own organizations and respond to their own issues and demands through activities and programs.
With migrants’ advocates and service providers, marriage migrants find themselves a strong and reliable partner in resolving not only their individual concerns but their issues as a sector.
More importantly, the organizations of marriage migrants become their second families as live miles away from their loved ones in their home countries.
The observance of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women is a significant venue for women marriage migrants to strengthen their alliance with all women in order to resist against all forms of violence both in home and host countries.
Long live the women migrants!
Long live international solidarity!
