"We Have Come to Work as Maids, not Sex Slaves": young women domestic workers and sexual violence in Uganda.

Authors

Annet A Onzia, Adelline Twimukye, Patricia A Ajeru, Rosalind Parkes-Ratanshi, Matthew M Hamill, Johan H Melendez, Barbara Castelnuovo, Stephen Okoboi, Yukari C Manabe, Andrew Mujugira

Published in

BMC women's health. Jul 11, 2026. Epub Jul 11, 2026.

Abstract

Young women with limited education who migrate from rural to urban areas in Uganda for household domestic work face multiple, intersecting vulnerabilities that increase their risk of sexual violence and other forms of exploitation. These vulnerabilities are often shaped by economic dependence, limited social support, and unequal power dynamics within households. This study explored their lived experiences, perceptions, barriers, and facilitators to accessing support following sexual violence.
Within a community-based cross-sectional study, we conducted a qualitative study using 18 in-depth interviews (IDIs) and 10 focus group discussions (FGDs) between November 2023 and March 2024. A total of 84 female domestic workers aged 15-24 years were purposively selected from urban communities in Uganda to capture diverse experiences. Interviews and discussions were audio-recorded with participants' consent, transcribed verbatim, and translated into English where necessary. Data were analyzed using an inductive thematic analysis in NVivo 12 to identify key themes and subthemes related to sexual violence. The study findings are reported narratively, supported by illustrative quotes from participants.
Multiple levels of intersecting individual, interpersonal, and structural vulnerabilities were identified. (1) Male household members perpetrated sexual violence, exploiting workers' social isolation and economic dependence. (2) Sexual violence resulted in negative reproductive and mental health outcomes. (3) Survivors remained silent due to victim-blaming, stigma, shame, and police corruption. (4) Exploitative workplace practices, like wage theft, denial of formal contracts, and long working hours, increased young women's vulnerability to sexual violence and limited their ability to seek help. (5) Domestic workers advocated comprehensive interventions, including legal reforms, workplace protections, community services, and labor rights advocacy.
Overlapping vulnerabilities, including exploitative workplace practices, power imbalances within households, social isolation, economic dependence, and limited access to reporting and support systems, drive sexual violence against domestic workers. Addressing these issues requires comprehensive, rights-based approaches, including stronger legal protections, enforcement of labor rights, improved access to survivor-centered services, and community efforts to reduce stigma and foster protective norms, thereby safeguarding the safety, dignity, and justice of these marginalized young women.

PMID:
42436473
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 12 Jul 2026.

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