Gender-based violence (GBV) and Latin@ farmworkers fact sheet

This Thanksgiving season, we are mindful of the many people who work to bring food to our tables. An estimated 2 million farmworkers in the U.S. are Latin@ migrants, making up 78% of the overall agricultural workforce (NAWS, 2019-2020). These individuals work across the food supply chain to keep us healthy and sustain our communities but often face disparities and lack protections to live a life free of violence.

This past year, Esperanza United partnered with Justice for Migrant Women to summarize information in a new resource, the “Gender-based violence (GBV) and Latin@ farmworkers” factsheet, that captures the lived realities among Latin@ farmworker communities. The factsheet summarizes research on GBV among Latin@ farmworkers and highlights community leadership in prevention and advocacy. For example, the lifetime prevalence rates of workplace sexual harassment ranges from 44% to 80% among Latin@ farmworkers (Prado et al., 2018; Waugh, 2010).

The “GBV and Latin@ farmworkers” factsheet adds to the national project, “The Humans Who Feed Us,” led by Justice for Migrant Women, that highlights the labor of immigrant workers across the food supply chain. As we enter the holiday season, we at Esperanza United are committed to elevating the lived experiences of Latin@ farmworkers. We aim to bring their stories to the forefront, enhancing our understanding of the people who play a crucial role in ensuring we have healthy foods on our tables.