Woman, migrant or worker? Human trafficking, violence against women and women’s safety in ASEAN

Abstract

This article explores how violence against women (VAW) and migrant labour exploitation intersect in the experiences of women migrant workers across Southeast Asia. Drawing on empirical research from eight ASEAN countries, the authors argue that despite the frequent co-occurrence of gendered violence and labour abuse, these issues are siloed in law, policy, and service responses. Victim-survivors are often categorised according to a single form of harm—such as domestic violence or trafficking—rather than supported in a holistic way that addresses their full experience of abuse and exploitation. The article calls for an integrated approach to VAW and human trafficking that prioritises women’s safety across all aspects of life and critiques current national and transnational strategies for their limited scope. The authors highlight the need to move beyond victim typologies and toward strategies that understand and respond to intersecting harms, particularly in labour and migration contexts.