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Indentured Slavery? Housekeeper/farm worker says she/he doesn't have access to her passport/VISA/ID. (ME) (self.legaladvice)

werrble が 投稿

First off, I am 17. I just started working for a family a few hours a week by tutoring/picking up their children. I am not a nanny. I just pick them up from school and drop them off at home and spend a two or so hours just going over some homework with them.

They have a sort of farm type situation. It is rural and there are animals. They do sell some produce, it looks like, but I am not entirely sure what.

A man and woman work for them. I am not entirely sure if the woman is over 18. She looks very young. I'd ask but they don't really speak a lot of English. I know they are from Haiti.

The youngest child I watch says that their mom keeps the passports and information so they can't leave.

And I managed to get some information out of the woman that she isn't allowed to have any breaks. And they aren't allowed to eat the food from the house because I offered to make her a sandwich (she refused and she is very thin). And looks about 15 or so.

I don't really know that much about the man. He never comes inside.

I am not exactly sure if anything bad is going on but I just have a bad feeling that something might. I know that I might be overreacting.

My dad basically said to just stay out of it, but something doesn't feel right.

Is there some kind of agency I can report this to? I am pretty sure calling the local police isn't going to do much for me here.

Would I contact an immigration office? The Haitian embassy?

I am only 17 so I am wondering what I can do just to verify that everything is on the up and up here since I am not an adult yet?

I just want to make sure they want to be there and that everything is legal and they are being taken care of.

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[–]hypotyposis 29ポイント30ポイント  (6子コメント)

I read an article talking about how this still happens in the US, usually exactly how you described it- rich families in rural areas having foreigners be literal slaves.

Here's a link to report this to the FBI, you just click the Submit a Tip on Crime button at the bottom and fill out the form: https://m.fbi.gov/#https://www.fbi.gov/about-us/investigate/civilrights/human_trafficking

Further, here's an article to read on the matter, if you're interested: https://m.fbi.gov/#https://www.fbi.gov/news/stories/2008/may/humantrafficking_050908

[–]agilla 11ポイント12ポイント  (0子コメント)

This is from an AMA by a former special agent who fought human trafficking. https://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/1v7cqm/im_greg_bristol_retired_fbi_special_agent/cepekmm

/u/werrble, have a look at that. It speaks directly to your question.

[–]morbidlyobese1234 12ポイント13ポイント  (4子コメント)

Isn't it odd that these rich families are always the slave owners? They could easily pay these guys double min. wage with no problem, but they prefer slave labor.

[–]4skinz 19ポイント20ポイント  (0子コメント)

Well you don't get rich by paying your employees...

[–]AccountMitosis 3ポイント4ポイント  (2子コメント)

Even odder, from an American perspective, is that the slave owners are frequently the same ethnicity as the slaves. I know that for a lot of human history, even most of it, people have enslaved others from within their own cultures or from closely related neighboring cultures... but it still seems so... weird. Like, the entire rationale for American slavery was based on race. And yet this entirely different kind of slavery still exists in America today, and it's mind-blowing and terrifying that people can be horrible to each other in so many different ways.

[–]tu_che_le_vanita 3ポイント4ポイント  (0子コメント)

Indeed. I live in the American SW, and NAs used to have a slave market in Santa Fe every year, selling other NAs. They killed the unsold slaves.

[–]johncheswick 0ポイント1ポイント  (0子コメント)

It's probably a combination of speaking the same language / dialect, and using cultural similarities to draw people into slavery in the first place.

I imagine it'd be easier to go to Haiti and talk someone into coming and working for you in the US if you are also Haitian. There's probably an assumption that someone of the same background would be less likely to harm or deceive their own kind, and that's part of the reason they get into this situation.

I don't think it's one culture specifically targeting their own people, just that because of an implied trust, their own people are easier to prey on.

[–]darcmosch 10ポイント11ポイント  (0子コメント)

First off, IANAL, but holding someone's passport is illegal. The papers I'm not sure too much about who is supposed to have the original copy but withholding any legal documentation is illegal.

It definitely sounds like these folks are using their indentured servants naivete against them

[–]AccountMitosis 9ポイント10ポイント  (0子コメント)

Others have already commented with things to look into and the people you need to contact, but I just wanted to say thank you for being a good person and making the effort to help those in need, and looking for advice on how to do so in the most useful way. You're showing both compassion and wisdom beyond your years.

Can you bring the woman some food of your own? Your dad might at least consent to sending food along with you when you visit the house, so you can help her get food to eat without risking angering your employers. It could take some time for things to get moving with the authorities, and in the meantime, something like bringing the people a water bottle or two could make a big difference to them.

[–]ethanjf99 26ポイント27ポイント  (2子コメント)

I don't know the answer but (a) good on you for being concerned about this and (b) there absolutely will be a state agency you can call. Slavery is, you know, illegal in this country despite the wishes of Dylann Root and those like him.

An actual attorney or someone with real knowledge will doubtless be along soon to help!

[–]Romymopen 18ポイント19ポイント  (1子コメント)

despite the wishes of Dylann Root and those like him

You mean lunatics? Wait until the lizard people reveal their true forms, you'll all pay.

[–]erfling 1ポイント2ポイント  (0子コメント)

You're mixing up your South Carolina things. Don't spoil the memory of the Lizard Man. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lizard_Man_of_Scape_Ore_Swamp

[–]Justintiming 5ポイント6ポイント  (0子コメント)

Google Maine Human Traffiking and that brings up a lot of resources depending on your location. Here's a national anonymous tip line: 1-888-373-7888

Good on you for being concerned. The warning signs are definitely there.

[–]rdeluca 0ポイント1ポイント  (0子コメント)

Wouldn't be the first time, nevermind it wouldn't even be the first time in this subreddit...

Where's that post about the kid in the hotel being basically enslaved by the manager and the follow up post?

Can't seem to find it.

[–]Newbieloser 0ポイント1ポイント  (0子コメント)

If the owner is indeed holding their passport/immigration papers in order to keep them under his control, that could give rise to a false imprisonment civil claim.

[–]TotesMessenger 0ポイント1ポイント  (0子コメント)

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[–]hmmberto 0ポイント1ポイント  (0子コメント)

http://www.traffickingresourcecenter.org/

Not legal advice but these kinds of situations is exactly why the NHTRC exists.

[–]LocationBot -2ポイント-1ポイント  (2子コメント)

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Original Post:

Indentured Slavery? Housekeeper/farm worker says she/he doesn't have access to her passport/VISA/ID. (ME)

First off, I am 17. I just started working for a family a few hours a week by tutoring/picking up their children. I am not a nanny. I just pick them up from school and drop them off at home and spend a two or so hours just going over some homework with them.

They have a sort of farm type situation. It is rural and there are animals. They do sell some produce, it looks like, but I am not entirely sure what.

A man and woman work for them. I am not entirely sure if the woman is over 18. She looks very young. I'd ask but they don't really speak a lot of English. I know they are from Haiti.

The youngest child I watch says that their mom keeps the passports and information so they can't leave.

And I managed to get some information out of the woman that she isn't allowed to have any breaks. And they aren't allowed to eat the food from the house because I offered to make her a sandwich (she refused and she is very thin). And looks about 15 or so.

I don't really know that much about the man. He never comes inside.

I am not exactly sure if anything bad is going on but I just have a bad feeling that something might. I know that I might be overreacting.

My dad basically said to just stay out of it, but something doesn't feel right.

Is there some kind of agency I can report this to? I am pretty sure calling the local police isn't going to do much for me here.

Would I contact an immigration office? The Haitian embassy?

I am only 17 so I am wondering what I can do just to verify that everything is on the up and up here since I am not an adult yet?

I just want to make sure they want to be there and that everything is legal and they are being taken care of.

[–]werrble[S] 6ポイント7ポイント  (1子コメント)

I put it in the title as (ME) but it is Maine.

[–]BSPEsquire 6ポイント7ポイント  (0子コメント)

It won't flag on most postal abbreviations because then, for example, if someone ended their post with "what will happen to me here?", and without a location, it'll fail to flag it. Now why the hell it's not programmed to read for a bracketed postal code in the title is beyond me, but I'm not the creator.