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Abstract

I. Introduction

“Sexual harassment perpetuates the interlocked structure by which women have been kept sexually in thrall to men and at the bottom of the labor market. Two forces of American society converge: men’s control over women’s sexuality and capital’s control over employees’ work lives.”

I first began working with children as a college student in a part-time daycare position and eventually moved into a full-time nanny position after graduating. Working as a nanny was the perfect option for me at the time, as I was seeking temporary work in between my undergraduate education and law school. The opportunity also seemed natural given my background working in childcare. For me, the nanny experience was incredibly positive despite the very informal nature of my position. The family I worked for was happy to provide me with requested time off and a salary within the range I requested. I was compensated for work-related expenses, and I always felt like my work environment was safe and professional. In many ways, working for a family seemed no different than my prior experience working in childcare for a large company. Of course, the positivity of this experience can largely be attributed to my status as a friend of the family, as well as my privileged identities as a white woman, United States citizen, and native English speaker.

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