Sexual Harrasment at Work as A Barrier for Women Economic Development: The Case of Domestic Workers in Maputo City

Abstract

This research aims to analyse the impact of sexual harassment at work, more specifically on domestic workers and on women’s economic empowerment. The target group was selected based on the qualitative methodology, using the proportional sampling and with the snowball technique, where out of 50 maids, who were interviewed, 20 maids were found to have suffered sexual harassment. According to the Standpoint theory, sexual harassment constitutes an obstacle for women’s economic empowerment, as it not only puts women employed in the domestic sector in a situation of being racially discriminated, but also at the social status level. At the racial level this happens because of the conception that white employers pay better salaries, and for fear of losing that salary, they submitted themselves to situations of harassment. At the level of social status, they are treated as people without dignity, as if the work they do is irrelevant, as it is not formally considered work like other jobs under the Mozambican law. Women domestic workers are forced to become sexually involved with their employers to guarantee their work, fearing that they will lose their jobs, and consequently will not be able to support their families.