Sexual harassment in the workplace takes many forms, and could result in a system of assault that could perpetuate continually. In the Frontline Documentary Rape in the Fields (2013), the power dynamics of undocumented female field workers and their male co-workers or bosses creates a dynamic in which these women must consent to unwelcome behavior, and many must engage in regular intercourse with these men for fear of being deported along with their entire family. Thus, these men have a leverage and can blackmail these women into agreeing to engage in a sexual relationship with these men, crossing the line between consent and force. In one case, one of the male farm owners insisted that a female subordinate engage in intercourse with him, and threatened her with a gun. This is an …show more content…
This is the greatest threat that binds them to these situations, as it affects not only these women, but their families as well, who are often dependent on the small wage that they contribute. These women are largely Latina and have little to no grasp on the English language, making them culturally isolated and unable to communicate or report these crimes to an American, English speaking, court. In most cases, higher level employers are far more willing to believe the male employees who are being repeatedly accused as opposed to the women who are far more likely to be perceived as untrustworthy due to their inability to fully communicate and the gender and power bias by these corporation owners. In these environments, women have often nowhere to turn to as well as an overall fear for their lives, jobs, and the livelihood of their families. The sexual harassment of these Latina women, documented and undocumented, is unjust and an example of the violation of power and demonstrates the difficulty for women to come forth in sexual harassment cases across the