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Intercultural Human Rights Law Review

First Page

185

Abstract

The terror that grips a victim of abuse can be the same whether physical violence or psychological force is used. Rashi was a victim of modem-day slavery for over ten years. She was brought to the United States as a domestic servant and was forced to work from morning to night, was not paid, and was made to sleep on a mat on the floor. She was forced to beg for her meager portions of food and suffered from untreated tuberculosis because she was not allowed to seek medical care. Rashi had no contact with the outside world because her employer forbade her to leave the home, to use the telephone, or even to watch television. She was denigrated and verbally abused on a daily basis. Her employer frequently flew into rages, threatening to have her family killed if she tried to escape. After years of this treatment, a hard stare from her employer was enough to send her cowering into the comer. When Rashi was finally rescued, she was asked why she had not left. It is easy to comprehend slavery created with chains. Physical forms of violence and control are understandable because of their visibility. If slaves are locked inside a room, it is obvious why they do not leave. If they have bruises, the harm that has come to them is apparent. On the other hand, psychological abuse and coercion are easier to conceal and may be overlooked. Many people have difficulty understanding how psychological means can be used to manipulate other people. This paper will attempt to show how psycho-logical coercion can be as effective as physical violence in exerting control over a person. It will describe research on psychological control and manipulation, provide examples of psychological coercion used in conditions of modern-day slavery, and provide a biologically- based framework for understanding psychological coercion. The goals of this paper are to provide a means to improve recognition of victims by identifying additional means of enslavement beyond physical force, and to increase empathy toward victims who are held in captivity through psychological means.

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