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

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As part of the global agenda to eliminate all forms of violence against women (VAW), there has been significant investments in areas of family and intimate partner violence. Simultaneously, human trafficking has been predominant on the international stage with a focus on labour and migration-related abuse and exploitation of women and girls. Within public policy, law and welfare infrastructures, VAW and migrant labour exploitation have been approached and responded to as distinct and separate issues. Drawing on empirical research across eight Southeast Asian countries, we highlight how women migrant workers experience both VAW and labour exploitation as interconnected. Yet, system responses largely silo VAW and trafficking, particularly in terms of responding to victim survivors. We consider the implications of this for developing meaningful national and transnational strategies to address gendered violence. While we focus on ASEAN countries many national responses to VAW and human trafficking are not founded on the recognition of the significant interconnections between gendered violence in the labour and personal sphere. We argue that in the midst of national and international efforts to respond to gendered exploitation and abuse, there is an opportunity to shift away from the ‘type’ of victimisation towards prioritising the protection and restoration of women’s safety in all aspects of their lives.